title: Initial Achilles tendon repair strength--synthesized biomechanical data from 196 cadaver repairs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aim was to describe what kind of operative technique performs best with respect to initial strength after the surgical repair of acute Achilles tendon ruptures.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a systematic search of the keywords "Achilles tendon AND (suture strength OR biomechanics) AND (cadaver NOT animal)" in the online databases PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library. We included studies that employed open, mini-open, or percutaneous Achilles tendon repair in human cadavers, and assessed some measure of tensile strength as a primary outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our search produced 11 relevant papers reporting results for Kessler, Bunnell, and Krackow sutures in open repair, as well as the Achillon device, the Ma-Griffith repair technique, the triple bundle technique and the "giftbox" technique. The weighted tensile strengths ranged from 81 to 453 N (mean 222.7 N) with the Triple Bundle technique in combination with # 2 Ethibond performing best with a mean of 453 N.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to the small sample sizes, different study designs, and heterogeneity of strength measurement techniques, definite recommendations on surgical technique cannot be made but presented information might help in the decision making process for foot and ankle surgeons.
authors.affiliation: Sports Medicine Research Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. patrick.sadoghi@medunigraz.at
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sadoghi
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rosso
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Valderrabano
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leithner
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vavken
mesh_terms: D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002102:Cadaver; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D008875:Middle Aged; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D012421:Rupture / Q000601:surgery; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013718:Tensile Strength / Q000502:physiology; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult