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Biomechanical Testing of a Novel Suture Pattern for Repair of Equine Tendon Lacerations
Author(s) -
Everett Eric,
Barrett Jennifer G.,
Morelli Jeffrey,
DeVita Raffaella
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
veterinary surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1532-950X
pISSN - 0161-3499
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-950x.2011.00905.x
Subject(s) - cadaveric spasm , medicine , tendon , fibrous joint , sss* , biomechanics , ultimate failure , forelimb , ultimate load , stiffness , surgery , orthodontics , ultimate tensile strength , anatomy , structural engineering , materials science , finite element method , engineering , metallurgy
Objective To compare in vitro biomechanical properties of a novel suture pattern to a current standard for primary repair of equine superficial digital flexor tendon ( SDFT ) laceration. Study Design In vitro randomized, paired design. Animals Cadaveric equine forelimb SDFT ( n = 24). Methods The 3‐loop pulley (3 LP ) and 6‐strand S avage ( SSS ) suture patterns were applied to transected equine SDFT . Ultimate failure load, stiffness, mode of failure, and load required to form a 3‐mm gap were obtained using a materials testing system and synchronized high‐speed video analysis. Statistical comparisons were made using S tudent's t‐test, with significance set at P < .05. Results The SSS repair failed at a higher ultimate load (421.1 N ± 47.6) than the 3 LP repair (193.7 N ± 43.0; P < .001). There was no significant difference in stiffness ( P = .99). Failure mode was suture breakage for all SSS repair and suture pull through for all 3 LP repair. The maximum load to create a 3‐mm gap in the SSS repair (102.0 N ± 22.4) was not significantly different from the 3 LP repair (109.9 N ± 16.0; P = .27). Conclusions SSS tenorrhaphy has improved strength and resistance to pull through compared with 3 LP for equine SDFT in a single load‐to‐failure test. Load required to form a 3‐mm gap was not significantly different between SSS and 3 LP .