title: Surgical time for graft preparation using different suture techniques.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of the present study was to compare the operative time for graft preparation using different techniques for graft suturing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Flexor profundus tendons were harvested from fresh pig hind-leg trotters. Three different suture techniques were investigated: the Krackow stitch (K), the Whipstitch (W), and the Modified Finger-Trap suture (MFT). Tendons were sutured starting at 10 mm from the distal free end of the tendon. The suture configurations of the Krackow stitch and Whipstitch were completed with five suture throws. According to the MFT technique, the suture was wrapped five times around the tendon over a distance of 30 mm. The time required to perform a complete suture on each tendon was measured. Five independent examiners of different levels of training measured the time required for graft preparation during 3 separate occasions to determine intraobserver repeatability and interobserver reproducibility.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean time required for graft preparation following the Krackow technique was 69.1 seconds ± 18.3 SD (range 31.8-120). The Whipstitch technique took an average of 59.9 seconds ± 21.2 SD (range 27-93). The MFT suture required a mean of 29.3 seconds ± 11.4 SD for completing the suture (range 21.6-33). In all examiners the time required to complete the MFT suture was significantly less than the other suture techniques (p < 0.05). Intraobserver intraclass correlation coefficients for each examiner ranged from 0.72 to 0.83.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low graft preparation time is required to complete a MFT suture in a porcine tendon model. Further, time required for graft preparation using the MFT was shorter than other suturing techniques such as the Krackow and Whipstitch techniques.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MFT suture could be used for graft set-up with the main advantage of reducing the time required in comparison with other suture techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery (DiChirOnS), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Camarda
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery (DiChirOnS), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giambartino
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery (DiChirOnS), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lauria
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery (DiChirOnS), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saporito
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery (DiChirOnS), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Triolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery (DiChirOnS), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Arienzo
keywords: fiberwire; grasping tendon; krackow suture; modified finger-trap; suture tendon; suturing tendon; whipstitching