title: Ex vivo biomechanical comparison of barbed suture and standard polypropylene suture for acute tendon laceration in a canine model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evaluate performance and resistance to gap formation of a non-absorbable, barbed, monofilament suture, in comparison with a non-absorbable, smooth, monofilament polypropylene suture, in two different suture patterns: three-loop pulley (3LP) and modified Bunnell-Mayer (BM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-two medium-sized cadaveric superficial digital flexor muscle tendon units.
  
  
  METHODS
  After manual transection and suture repair, individual specimens were placed in an electromechanical tensile testing machine and tested to monotonic failure using tensile ramp loading. Video data acquisition allowed evaluation of failure mode and quantification of gap formation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Incidence of gap formation between tendon ends was significantly greater in tenorrhaphies repaired with barbed suture compared to those repaired with smooth polypropylene. Use of a 3LP suture pattern caused significantly less gapping between tendon ends when compared to the BM pattern.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smooth polypropylene suture was consistently superior in load performance than a unidirectional barbed suture. The 3LP pattern was more resistant than a BM pattern at preventing gap formation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smooth polypropylene should be recommended over barbed unidirectional suture for use in canine tendinous repair to provide increased resistance to gap formation. The 3LP is superior to the BM suture pattern, requiring significantly more force to cause tenorrhaphy gap formation and failure, which may translate to increased accrual of repair site strength and tendinous healing in clinical situations.
authors.affiliation: Daniel J. Duffy, BVM&S(Hons.), MRCVS, 625 Harrison Street, Purdue Veterinary Teaching Hospital, West Lafayette, IN 47906, United States, E-mail: duffy13@purdue.edu, Phone: +1 765 494 1107.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Duffy
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Main
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Breur
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Millard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004285:Dogs / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D022125:Lacerations / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011126:Polypropylenes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D013537:Sutures / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D011126:Polypropylenes
keywords: Barbed suture; biomechanical testing; canine; tendon; tenorrhaphy