title: Comparison of a multifilament stainless steel suture with FiberWire for flexor tendon repairs--an in vitro biomechanical study.
abstract: Our goal was to investigate and compare the mechanical properties of multifilament stainless steel suture (MFSS) and polyethylene multi-filament core FiberWire in flexor tendon repairs. Flexor digitorum profundus tendons were repaired in human cadaver hands with either a 4-strand cruciate cross-lock repair or 6-strand modified Savage repair using 4-0 and 3-0 multifilament stainless steel or FiberWire. The multifilament stainless steel repairs were as strong as those performed with FiberWire in terms of ultimate load and load at 2 mm gap. This study suggests that MFSS provides as strong a repair as FiberWire. The mode of failure of the MFSS occurred by the suture pulling through the tendon, which suggests an advantage in terms of suture strength.
authors: UCSF/SFGH Orthopaedic Trauma Institute, University of California-San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: McDonald
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Gordon
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Buckley
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Gordon
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002102:Cadaver; D005385:Fingers / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008422:Materials Testing; D020959:Polyethylene; D013193:Stainless Steel; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013537:Sutures; D013710:Tendons / Q000601:surgery*; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D013193:Stainless Steel; D020959:Polyethylene