Influence of length of incision and number of suture lines on the biomechanical properties of incisional gastropexy

Objective To determine the effect of the length of incision and of the number of suture lines on the load to failure of incisional gastropexy in an ex vivo model. Study design Ex vivo study. Sample population Thirty-six hound-mix fresh canine cadavers. Methods Specimens were randomly divided into four groups of incisional gastropexies varying in length of incision (2 or 4 cm) and number of suture lines (one or two). Load to failure was measured. Number of suture bites on each side of the gastropexy and number of inadvertent full thickness gastric suture bites were recorded. Results Incisional gastropexies performed with one or two suture lines sustained loads to failure of 53.80 ± 12.10 N and 53.30 ± 10.60 N (P = .887), respectively. Loads to failure equal to 49.70 ± 10.80 N and 57.30 ± 10.60 N (P = .048) were measured on incisional gastropexies performed with 2- or 4-cm-suture lines, respectively. There was no interaction between the length of the incision and the number of suture lines (P = .634). Conclusion Length of incision but not number of suture lines influenced the biomechanical properties of gastropexies in this acute cadaveric model. Clinical significance According to this acute in vitro experiment, gastropexy can be performed with either one or two suture lines.