title: Number of suture throws and its impact on the biomechanical properties of the four-strand cruciate locked flexor tendon repair with FiberWire.
abstract: FiberWire is a popular suture in flexor tendon repair that allows for early mobilization, but its poor knot-holding properties have raised concerns over the potential effects on tendon healing and strength. We examined how the number of knot throws affects the 2 mm gap force, ultimate tensile strength, and mode of failure in a four-strand cruciate locked tendon repair in porcine flexor tendons in order to elucidate the optimal number of suture throws. There was no effect on the 2 mm gap force with increasing knot throws, but there was a significant increase in ultimate tensile strength. A minimum of six-knot throws prevents unravelling, whereas five out of 10 of repairs unravelled with less than six throws.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA.
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Le
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Meineke
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Wongworawat
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005552:Forelimb; D008422:Materials Testing; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013537:Sutures; D013552:Swine; D013710:Tendons / Q000601:surgery*; D013718:Tensile Strength