IN-VITRO COMPARISON OF THE KRACKOW AND LOCKING LOOP SUTURE PATTERNS FOR TENORRHAPHY OF FLAT TENDONS

Tenorrhaphy of 20 pairs of canine patellar tendons, was by a modificat ion of the Krackow suture pattern on one of the pair and a single lock ing loop suture pattern on the contralateral tendon. The tenorrhaphies were pulled apart at a rate of 127 cm/min. The mode of failure for al l tendons was disruption of the tendon and the suture material pulling out of the tendon. The mean maximum load for the locking loop suture pattern was 67.2 N (S.D. 7.8), compared to 61.3 N (S.D. 9.3) for the m odified Krackow suture pattern. The mean energy absorbed to maximum lo ad was 0.54 Joules (J) (S.D. 0.168) for the locking loop and 0. 37 J ( S.D. 0.12) for the modified Krackow. The mean stiffness was 4846 N/m ( S.D. 803) for the locking loop and 5573 N/m (S.D. 921) for the modifie d Krackow.This study indicated the locking loop suture pattern was sig nificantly better than the modified Krackow suture pattern in maximum strength (p = 0.03), total energy absorbed to failure (p = 0.0004) and stiffness (p = 0.004). Both suture patterns are suitable for use in f lat tendons or ligaments based on their maximum strength. However, the effect of the modified Krackow suture pattern on vascularity and heal ing has not been evaluated.