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Background: Un-knotted barbed suture constructs are postulated to decrease repair bulk and improve tension loading along the entire repair site resulting in beneficial biomechanical repair properties. Applying this repair technique to tendons has shown good results in ex-vivo experiments previously but thus far no in-vivo study could confirm these. Therefore, this current study was conducted to assess the value of un-knotted barbed suture repairs in the primary repair of flexor tendons in an in-vivo setting. Methods: Two groups of 10 turkeys (Meleagris gallapovos) were used. All turkeys underwent surgical zone II flexor tendon laceration repairs. In group one, tendons were repaired using a traditional four-strand cross-locked cruciate (Adelaide) repair, while in group two, a four-strand knotless barbed suture 3D repair was used. Postoperatively repaired digits were casted in functional position, and animals were left free to mobilise and full weight bear, resembling a high-tension post-op rehabilitation protocol. Surgeries and rehabilitations went uneventful and no major complications were noted. The turkeys were monitored for 6 weeks before the repairs were re-examined and assessed against several outcomes, such as failure rate, repair bulk, range of motion, adhesion formation and biomechanical stability. Results: In this high-tension in-vivo tendon repair experiment, traditionally repaired tendons performed significantly better when comparing absolute failure rates and repair stability after 6 weeks. Nevertheless, the knotless barbed suture repairs that remained intact demonstrated benefits in all other outcome measures, including repair bulk, range of motion, adhesion formation and operating time. Conclusions: Previously demonstrated ex-vivo benefits of flexor tendon repairs with resorbable barbed sutures may not be applicable in an in-vivo setting due to significant difference in repair stability and failure rates. Level of Evidence: Level IV (Therapeutic) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This laboratory study compared pig, sheep and human deep flexor tendons in regards to their biomechanical comparability. Methods: To investigate the relevant biomechanical properties for tendon repair experiments, the tendons resistance to cheese-wiring (suture drag/splitting) was assessed. Cheese-wiring of a suture through a tendon is an essential factor for repair gapping and failure in a tendon repair. Results: Biomechanical testing showed that forces required to pulling a uniform suture loop through sheep or pig tendons in Zone II were higher than in human tendons. At time point zero of testing these differences did not reach statistical significance, but differences became more pronounced when forces were measured beyond initial cheese-wiring (2 mm, 5 mm and 10 mm). The stronger resistance to cheese-wiring was more pronounced in the pig tendons. Also regarding size and histology, sheep tendons were more comparable to human tendons than pig tendons. Conclusions: Differences in tendon bio-properties should be kept in mind when comparing and interpreting the results of laboratory tendon experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study investigated the exact failure mechanisms of the most commonly used conventional tendon repair techniques. A new method, radiographing repair constructs in antero-posterior and lateral projections before and after tensioning was used. This allowed to precisely analyse failure mechanisms in regards to geometrical changes in all three dimensions. Additionally the biomechanical stability focusing on gapping was tested. Methods: Sheep fore limb deep flexor tendons were harvested and divided in eight groups of ten tendons. Three common variants of the Kessler repair method and four common 4-strand repair techniques were tested. Additionally a new modification of the Adelaide repair was tested. Results: Biomechanical testing showed no significant differences in gapping for the three tested 2-strand Kessler repair groups. Once a double Kessler or 4-strand Kessler repair was performed the stability of the repair improved significantly. Further significant improvements in biomechanical stability could be achieved by using cross locks in the repair like in the Adelaide repair method. Qualitative analysis using radiographs showed that all Kessler repair variants unfolded via rotations around the transverse suturing component, no matter which variant was used. Conclusions: Additional to the commonly described constriction of the repair construct, the rotating deformation is the main reason for repair site gapping in Kessler tendon repair methods. The term 'locking' in a Kessler repair is misleading. The cruciate repairs tended to loose grip and drag (cheese-wire) through the tendon and therefore lead to gapping. The most stable repair constructs in all three dimensions were the Adelaide repair and its interlocking modification. This is due to the superior anchoring qualities of its cross locks and three dimensional stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The 4-strand cross-locked cruciate technique (Adelaide technique) for repairing flexor tendons in zone II is a favorable method in terms of strength and simplicity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of varying the cross-lock stitch size in this repair technique. Outcomes measured were load to failure and gap formation. Methods: We harvested 22 deep flexor tendons from adult pig forelimbs and randomly allocated them into 2 groups. After cutting the tendons at a standard point, we performed a 4-strand cross-locked cruciate repair using 3-0 braided polyester with either 2-mm cross-locks (n = 11) or 4-mm cross-locks (n = 11). All repairs were completed with a simple running peripheral suture using 6-0 polypropylene. Repaired tendons were loaded to failure and the mechanism of failure, load to failure, stiffness, and load to 2-mm gap formation were determined. Results: All repairs failed by suture breakage; we noted no suture pullout. There was no difference in load to failure (71.7–71.1 N; p = .89) or stiffness (4.1–4.6 N/mm; p = .23) between the 2-mm cross-lock and the 4-mm cross-lock groups. There was a trend toward higher resistance to 2-mm gap formation with the 4-mm cross-locks (55–62.2 N; p = .07). Conclusions: Four-strand cross-locked cruciate repairs with cross-lock sizes of 2 and 4 mm provide high tensile strength and are resistant to pullout. Repairs with 4-mm cross-locks tend to provide a more central load distribution and better gapping resistance than repairs with 2-mm cross-locks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The time-dependent mechanical behavior of common suture materials may have a pronounced influence on the quality of flexor tendon repairs with respect to gap formation. Methods: Sutures commonly used in plastic surgery, particularly for hand tendon repair, were tested in tension for analysis of stress relaxation and creep properties. The three materials tested were (1) Prolene, a monofilament polypropylene(Ethicon, Somerville, NJ); (2) Ethilon, a monofilament nylon(Ethicon, Somerville, NJ); and (3) Ticron, a braided polyester fiber (Sherwood, Davis & Geck, St. Louis, MO). All measurements were made with 1.5-mm (4-0) varieties of the sutures, in physiological buffered solution (0.9% phosphate-buffered saline [PBS]) at both room (22°C) and body temperature (37°C) conditions. Results: Ticron was the stiffest suture at both room and body temperature, followed by Prolene and Ethilon. Both Prolene and Ethilon showed statistically (p < .05) reduced stiffness at body temperature. Prolene exhibited statistically larger (p < .05) relaxation and creep ratios than the other two sutures, and it was the only material to show temperature effects in creep and relaxation. Conclusions: Based on static and viscoelastic mechanical properties, Ticron is the most suitable suture for flexor tendon repairs when compared to Prolene and Ethilon. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]