Absorbable Barbed Suture for the Repair of Tendo Calcaneus in Rabbits

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: A barbed suture used in flexor tenorrhaphy can maintain prolonged strength despite absorption of the suture material and allows knotless repair with tendon-barb adherence along the suture's entire length. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the strength of the tendon and its histologic analysis after tenorrhaphy using barbed sutures. METHODS: Forty-two New Zealand rabbits were used in this study and were divided into experimental and control groups. In the experimental group, knotless repair of the tendons was performed using absorbable barbed sutures. In the control group, a 4-stranded double-modified Kessler tenorrhaphy was performed using non-absorbable monofilament sutures. The force to failure for each tendon was measured immediately after tendon repair and at 1 week, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after the repair. Microscopic analysis of the tendons was performed at 1 week, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after their repair. RESULTS: Eight weeks after tendon repair, the force to failure value of the rabbits in the experimental group (144.02+/-10.21 N) was significantly higher than that of the rabbits in the control group (125.26+/-8.75 N) (p=0.032). The difference in the value during the periods was not statistically significant. Histologic findings showed increased foreign body reaction in the tendons of the experimental group and sustained inflammation in those of the control group. CONCLUSION: With respect to load to failure and the degree of inflammation, the use of absorbable barbed suture resulted in better tendon repair than the conventional non-absorbable suture.