title: [Mechanical behaviour of three types of surgical knots using 4/0 monofilament].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To experimentally study the behaviour of 4 types of monofilament with 3 knotting techniques, very often used in surgery, employing mechanical tests.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four 4/0 monofilaments were chosen, two of nylon, and the other two of polypropylene. Three types of knot designs were made with each thread. The first design (D-S-S) consisted of a double half-knot (D) followed by one single (S) in the opposite direction, a third S in turn in the opposite direction. The configuration of the second design was D-S-D, and the third, S-S-D. A mechanical fracture test was performed by stretching the thread at a rate of 4N/s, the force and deformation being recorded at intervals of 100 ms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a decrease in the force and deformation in the tests on threads with knots compared to threads without knots. In all cases the rupture of the thread occurred in the knot area, presumably due to damage caused to the thread during the knotting process. The D-S-D knot had the greatest resistance with polypropylene threads, and S-S-D provided the greatest resistance with nylon threads
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Polypropylene threads, with D-S-D knots, should be more indicated to suture tissues that have to support great forces and with little deformation of the suture (e.g., tendons). Nylon threads, with S-S-D knots, would be better indicated for tissues that have to support smaller forces and that require greater elasticity (e.g., skin).
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biomateriales e Ingeniería Tisular, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, España. LU.GILS@telefonica.net
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gil Santos
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Más-Estellés
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salmerón Sánchez
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barrios
mesh_terms: D008422:Materials Testing; D009757:Nylons; D011126:Polypropylenes; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013537:Sutures
chemical_list: D009757:Nylons; D011126:Polypropylenes