Ex vivo biomechanical comparison of V-LOC 180® absorbable wound closure device and standard polyglyconate suture for diaphragmatic herniorrhaphy in a canine model.

Templeton, Megan M; Krebs, Alexander I; Kraus, Karl H; Hedlund, Cheryl S

OBJECTIVE To compare 2-0 polyglyconate barbed suture (V-LOC™ 180 Absorbable Wound Closure Device, Covidien, Mansfield, MA) to standard 2-0 monofilament absorbable polyglyconate suture (Maxon™, Covidien) for maximum load to failure and failure mode when used to appose standardized defects in canine diaphragm muscle. STUDY DESIGN Randomized, cadaveric ex vivo mechanical testing. SAMPLE POPULATION Canine cadaveric hemi-diaphragmatic specimens (n = 32 pairs). METHODS Thirty-two cadaveric diaphragm specimens were collected and divided to obtain 64 muscle specimens (9 cm × 4 cm). Paired specimens were bisected in the midpoint of their 9 cm length in the direction of the muscle fibers and apposed using either 2-0 polyglyconate or 2-0 barbed polyglyconate (V-LOC™ 180 Absorbable Wound Closure Device) in a simple continuous pattern. Increasing tension was applied perpendicular to the suture line until specimen failure. Failure mode and maximum load to failure were recorded for each specimen. RESULTS Mean ± SD failure load of simulated herniorrhaphies performed with barbed polyglyconate suture (54.5 ± 10.27 N) was not significantly different than repair with polyglyconate (56.9 ± 10.87 N). Failure mode for both construct types was suture tear out rather than suture failure. CONCLUSIONS Clinical application of 2-0 barbed polyglyconate suture can be considered as an alternative to the use of 2-0 polyglyconate for diaphragmatic herniorrhaphy.