title: Comparison of Biomechanical and Histological Outcomes of Different Suture Techniques in Rat Rectus Abdominis Muscle Repair.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the strongest suture technique that retains the most muscle thickness to obtain functional outcome for Sprague-Dawley rat rectus abdominis muscle repair. We exposed the paired rectus abdominis muscle of 32 Sprague-Dawley rats on both sides (n = 64) and cut transversely. Immediate closure of the muscle was performed using one of 4 different suture methods (group A: interrupted suture, group B: horizontal mattress suture, group C: vertical mattress suture, group D: overlapping suture). After 8 weeks, the sutured muscle was dissected and cut for evaluation of tensile strength and muscle thickness. Histologic findings were evaluated using automatic quantitative component image analysis software (i-Solution) and immunohistochemical staining using CD31. P values were based on the Mann-Whitney test and Bonferroni correction. Group A showed the strongest tensile strength (P < 0.001). This group also demonstrated the greatest muscle thickness in comparison to the other groups. Differences between group A and the other groups were statistically significant (P < 0.001). Group A showed the highest ratio of muscle fibers and demonstrated the highest expression of CD31 (P < 0.05). The interrupted suture method used for muscle closure shows the greatest tensile strength and muscle thickness and is therefore a good option for suturing skeletal muscle. This finding has clinical applicability for suturing in the repair of skeletal muscle, especially for congenitally dehisced muscle repair.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea; and †Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Woo Shik
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Sang Shin
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eun Jung
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jina Jiyeun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jong W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Kyung S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Tae Suk
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017568:Rectus Abdominis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014945:Wound Healing