Mechanical Study of the Properties of Sutures used in Orthopedics Surgeries^[*]

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the mechanical properties of sutures commonly used in orthopedic surgeries, characterizing their behavior through tensile tests and determining which one has greater mechanical strength.

Method Tensile tests of different sutures were performed in a mechanical testing machine BME 10 kN, using a 50 kgf maximum capacity loading cell. Seven samples from each suture material were tested. Both ends of the sample material were fixed in the proper metal claw, maintaining an initial length of 5 cm. Tests were performed at a speed of 20 mm/minute and at room temperature, recording data for maximum displacement and maximum force at the rupture point.

Results FiberWire® #2 (Artrhex, Naples, FL, USA) presented the highest mean strength of rupture (240.17 N), followed by HiFi® #2 (Conmed, Utica, NY, USA) (213.39N) and Ethibond® #5 (Ethicon Inc., Somerville, NJ, USA) (207.38 N). Ethibond® #2 (Ethicon Inc., Somerville, NJ, USA) had the lowest mean strength of rupture (97.8 N).

Conclusion Non-absorbable braided polyblend sutures, more recently introduced, are superior to conventional, braided polyester sutures, and FiberWire® #2 is the most resistant suture evaluated in the present study.

Keywords

shoulder - acromioclavicular joint/injuries - acromioclavicular joint/surgery - biomechanical phenomena - sutures

^* Work developed at the Departament of Surgery of the Faculty of Medicine of the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.

• Referências

• 1 Nordin M, Frankel VH. Biomecânica básica do sistema músculo-esquelético. 3a ed. Rio de Janeiro: Guanabara Koogan; 2003
• 2 Moore KL, Dalley AF. Anatomia orientada para clínica. 4 a ed. Rio de Janeiro: Guanabara Koogan; 2005
• 3 Mazzocca AD, Santangelo SA, Johnson ST, Rios CG, Dumonski ML, Arciero RA. A biomechanical evaluation of an anatomical coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction. Am J Sports Med 2006; 34 (02) 236-246
• 4 Fukuda K, Craig EV, An KN, Cofield RH, Chao EY. Biomechanical study of the ligamentous system of the acromioclavicular joint. J Bone Joint Surg Am 1986; 68 (03) 434-440
• 5 Najibi S, Banglmeier R, Matta J, Tannast M. Material properties of common suture materials in orthopaedic surgery. Iowa Orthop J 2010; 30: 84-88
• 6 Swan Jr KG, Baldini T, McCarty EC. Arthroscopic suture material and knot type: an updated biomechanical analysis. Am J Sports Med 2009; 37 (08) 1578-1585
• 7 Harris RI, Wallace AL, Harper GD, Goldberg JA, Sonnabend DH, Walsh WR. Structural properties of the intact and the reconstructed coracoclavicular ligament complex. Am J Sports Med 2000; 28 (01) 103-108
• 8 Wüst DM, Meyer DC, Favre P, Gerber C. Mechanical and handling properties of braided polyblend polyethylene sutures in comparison to braided polyester and monofilament polydioxanone sutures. Arthroscopy 2006; 22 (11) 1146-53
• 9 Wright PB, Budoff JE, Yeh ML, Kelm ZS, Luo ZP. Strength of damaged suture: an in vitro study. Arthroscopy 2006; 22 (12) 1270-5.e3
• 10 Jhamb A, Goldberg J, Harper W, Butler A, Smitham PJ, Walsh WR. String theory: an examination of the properties of “high strength” suture materials. In: Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australian Orthopaedic Association; 2007