THE PULLOUT FORCE FOR MITEK MINI AND MICRO SUTURE ANCHOR SYSTEMS IN HUMAN MANDIBULAR CONDYLES

Purpose: This study examines the pullout forces and the modes of pullo ut for the Mitek mini and micro suture anchor systems (Mitek Inc., Nor wood, MA) when inserted into the posterior aspect of the condyle. Mate rials and Methods: Twenty mandibular condyles were obtained from embal med human cadavers. A mini anchor and a smaller micro anchor were thre aded with braided size 0 and 3-0 polyester suture, respectively, and p laced in the posterior aspect of each condyle, Pullout testing was per formed using an Instron materials testing machine, The force and mode of pullout were recorded for each specimen, Results: The findings indi cate a significantly greater mean pullout force of 16.02 lbs for the l arger mini anchor system as compared with the 10.57 lbs mean pullout f orce of the micro anchor system. The modes of pullout between these im plants were also different, Intact mini suture anchor systems pulled t hrough the cortical bone in 90% of the trials, and suture breakage occ urred in 10%, The micro anchors were irreversibly deformed on pullout in 65% of the trials, whereas the suture broke in 25% of the trials, a nd the intact suture anchor system pulled through the cortical bone in 10%, Conclusions: The Mitek mini anchor system has a significantly gr eater pullout force from the mandibular condyle than the micro anchor system.