title: Barbed versus smooth poly-propylene three-loop pulley sutures for repair of canine gastrocnemius tendon.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and load to 1 and 3 mm gap formation of smooth (3-metric) and knotless barbed (4-metric) polypropylene sutures placed in a three-loop pulley pattern for canine gastrocnemius tendon repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  In vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three paired bone-tendon units with one of each pair assigned to each suture type. Barbed suture size was based on previously published materials testing results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each unit was placed in a servo-hydraulic testing machine and tested under single cycle tensile loading until repair failure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significantly higher UTS for smooth polypropylene compared to the barbed polypropylene repairs. The loads resulting in 1 and 3 mm gaps for the barbed repairs were consistently significantly less than the corresponding smooth polypropylene repair values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The knotted smooth polypropylene repair was consistently stronger than the knotless barbed polypropylene repair when placed in a three-loop pulley pattern for gastrocnemius repair.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Knotless barbed polypropylene suture should not be considered equivalent to knotted smooth polypropylene of comparable tensile strength when placed in a three-loop pulley pattern for canine gastrocnemius tendon repair. The low failure loads of the barbed repair are probably due to failure of the barbs to anchor consistently throughout the tendon in the knotless configuration.
authors.affiliation: Benjamin Perry, DVM, Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, 1008 W. Hazelwood Drive, Urbana, IL 61802, United States, Phone: +1 217 333 5310, Fax: +1 217 244 1475, E-mail: bperrydvm@gmail.com.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: McFadden
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Heggem Perry
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D011126:Polypropylenes; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000662:veterinary*; D013537:Sutures / Q000662:veterinary*; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D011126:Polypropylenes
keywords: Barbed suture; polypropylene; tensile testing; ultimate tensile strength