title: Peek's harpoon: a new device for the treatment of laparoscopic sacropexy. Preliminary study in unembalmed cadavers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study is to facilitate the suture on the sacral promontory for laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy. We hypothesised that a new method of sacral anchorage using a biosynthetic material, the polyether ether ketone (PEEK) harpoon, might be adequate because of its tensile strength, might reduce complications owing to its well-known biocompatibility, and might shorten the duration of surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  We verified the feasibility of insertion and quantified the stress resistance of the harpoons placed in the promontory in nine fresh cadavers, using four stress tests in each case. Mean values were analysed and compared using the Wilcoxon and Fisher's exact tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The harpoon resists for at least 30 s against a pulling force of 1 N, 5 N and 10 N. Maximum tensile strength is 21 N for the harpoon and 32 N for the suture. Harpoons broke in 6 % and threads in 22 % of cases. Harpoons detached owing to ligament rupture in 64 % of the cases. Regarding failures of the whole complex, the failure involves the harpoon in 92 % of cases and the thread in 56 %. The four possible placements of the harpoon in the promontory were equally safe in terms of resistance to traction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PEEK harpoon can be easily anchored in the promontory. Thread is more resistant to traction than the harpoon, but the latter makes the surgical technique easier. Any of the four locations tested is feasible for anchoring the device.
authors.affiliation: Hospital General de Granollers, Barcelona, Spain. mgirvent@uic.es.|Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC), Barcelona, Spain. mgirvent@uic.es.|, C/ Brutau 30, 5e-1a Sabadell, 08203, Barcelona, Spain. mgirvent@uic.es.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Girvent Vilarmau
authors.affiliation: Hospital General de Granollers, Barcelona, Spain.|Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ojeda Pérez
authors.affiliation: Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Maria José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Canto Rivera
authors.affiliation: Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC), Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lorente Gascón
mesh_terms: D001577:Benzophenones; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002102:Cadaver; D003127:Colposcopy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007659:Ketones; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011108:Polymers; D012447:Sacrum / Q000601:surgery*; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013537:Sutures; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000601:surgery; D014621:Vagina / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D001577:Benzophenones; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D007659:Ketones; D011108:Polymers; C063834:polyetheretherketone; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols
keywords: Harpoons; Laparoscopic sacropexy; Polyether ether ketone (PEEK); Sacral promontory; Unembalmed cadavers