Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair Using a Triple-Loaded Suture Anchor and a Modified Mason-Allen Technique (Alex Stitch)

Surgical repair of the rotator cuff must have good resistance and should restore the tendon footprint. To attain this goal, a stitch with a strong biomechanical profile that avoids tissue strangulation should be used. We describe an arthroscopic suture technique undertaken to repair rotator cuff tears with a single triple-loaded suture anchor. The technique consists of a combination of a horizontal mattress and 2 vertical simple sutures that are positioned medial to the mattress suture. The suture anchor used is the 5-mm self-tapping ThRevo (Linvatec). This anchor is loaded with 3 sutures: 2 No. 2 nonabsorbable braided polyester sutures of different colors and a central high-strength No. 2 polyethylene suture. The shape of the anchor eyelet permits all 3 sutures to glide freely. A modified Mason-Allen technique (Alex stitch) that combines a horizontal side-to-side suture and 2 simples sutures as vertical loops is used. With use of the Spectrum suture passing device and shuttle relay system (Linvatec), both limbs of the centrally located polyethylene suture are passed through the cuff from bottom to top, approximately 1 cm from the tendon edge. This suture is not immediately tied. Next, with use of the same system, the other 2 sutures are placed medially and over the previous horizontal suture. Simple sutures are placed at an approximately 30° angle from the center of the anchor; 1 is placed anterior and the other posterior. The sutures are tied through the lateral portal. The mattress horizontal central stitch is always tied first, followed by the 2 vertical sutures. The horizontal mattress suture serves as a “rip stop stitch” and theoretically reduces the possibility of cutting out of the simple sutures.     

Modified Mason-Allen Suture Bridge Technique: A New Suture Bridge Technique with Improved Tissue Holding by the Modified Mason-Allen Stitch

We present a new method of suture bridge technique for medial row fixation using a modified Mason-Allen stitch instead of a horizontal mattress. Medial row configuration of the technique is composed of the simple stitch limb and the modified Mason-Allen stitch limb. The limbs are passed through the tendon by a shuttle relay. The simple stitch limb passes the cuff once and the modified Mason-Allen stitch limb passes three times which creates a rip stop that prevents tendon pull-out. In addition, the Mason-Allen suture bridge configuration is basically a knotless technique which has an advantage of reducing a possibility of strangulation of the rotator cuff tendon, impingement or irritation that may be caused by knot.     

Modification of Laurence��s stitch for skin closure

Laurence’s stitch has previously been described for surgical wound closure. The technique describes a continuous horizontal mattress using an absorbable suture material, with the knot buried at each end of the wound. We have modified this stitch by leaving the knot outside the skin and beyond the ends of the wound. We feel that this improves Laurence’s stitch by avoiding any possibility of a surgical knot abscess and allowing a slightly faster wound closure but still providing the benefits associated with a continuous horizontal mattress.     

A New Approach to Improving the Tissue Grip of the Medial-Row Repair in the Suture-Bridge Technique: The “Modified Lasso-Loop Stitch”

The double-row rotator cuff repair has proved to be biomechanically superior to the single-row technique. However, this has not been shown clinically. At the moment, all the methods proposed for medial-row suturing in the suture-bridge technique recommend a mattress suture or a simple stitch. The lasso-loop stitch has been proposed as a technique to improve tissue grip and has been used in open rotator cuff repairs, in biceps tenodesis, and in the Bankart procedure. We propose a method in which a modified version of this stitch can be used to repair the medial row of a double-row repair. In the “modified lasso-loop stitch,” a circumferential stitch is constructed over the posteromedial and anteromedial anchor. This stitch exerts an appropriate amount of radial compression on the encased tendon as the tails of the posteromedial and anteromedial suture are fixed to the anterolateral anchor. Through this technique, the reduction force is augmented and a compression force is created, thus allowing restoration of the rotator cuff footprint. This technique provides a strong cuff-suture interface while appropriate tensioning of the modified lasso-loop stitch allows minimal strangulation of the tendon. This technique has been shown to work with and without a knot.     

Arthroscopic Placement of a Modified Mason-Allen Stitch

Recent studies have shown all-arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs to have comparable clinical results to mini-open or open repairs. Previous drawbacks to arthroscopic repair have included not being able to place a modified Mason-Allen stitch with a suture anchor technique. We present a technique using the Arthrex Scorpion device (Arthrex, Naples, FL) to place a modified Mason-Allen stitch arthroscopically via a double-loaded FiberWire metal suture anchor (Arthrex). The Scorpion suture passer places a stitch from inferior to superior through the torn rotator cuff. The suture is grabbed and reloaded into the Scorpion device. The device is then turned upside down, and a horizontal stitch is placed from superior to inferior. The stitch is retrieved again and reloaded a third time. The last pass is placed so that the final stitch passes anterior to the inferior suture but beyond the previously placed horizontal mattress stitch. This effectively reproduces the described biomechanically superior modified Mason-Allen stitch.     

The double loop mattress suture

An interrupted stitch type with favorable tissue characteristics will reduce local wound complications. We describe a novel high‐strength, low‐tension repair for the interrupted closure of skin, cartilage, and muscle, the double loop mattress stitch, and compare it experimentally with other interrupted closure methods. The performance of the double loop mattress technique in porcine cartilage and skeletal muscle is compared with the simple, mattress, and loop mattress interrupted sutures in both a novel porcine loading chamber and mechanical model. Wound apposition is assessed by electron microscopy. The performance of the double loop mattress in vivo was confirmed using a series of 805 pediatric laparotomies/laparoscopies. The double loop mattress suture is 3.5 times stronger than the loop mattress in muscle and 1.6 times stronger in cartilage (p ≤ 0.001). Additionally, the double loop mattress reduces tissue tension by 66% compared with just 53% for the loop mattress (p ≤ 0.001). Wound gapping is equal, and wound eversion appears significantly improved (p ≤ 0.001) compared with the loop mattress in vitro. In vivo, the double loop mattress performs as well as the loop mattress and significantly better than the mattress stitch in assessments of wound eversion and dehiscence. There were no episodes of stitch extrusion in our series of patients. The mechanical advantage of its intrinsic pulley arrangement gives the double loop mattress its favorable properties. Wound dehiscence is reduced because this stitch type is stronger and exerts less tension on the tissue than the mattress stitch. We advocate the use of this novel stitch wherever a high‐strength, low‐tension repair is required. These properties will enhance wound repair, and its application will be useful to surgeons of all disciplines.     

Flexor tendon repair: significant gain in strength from the Halsted peripheral suture technique

A biomechanical study in vitro has evaluated a new modification of the core and peripheral suture technique for flexor tendon repair. Groups of repairs were conducted in cadaver tendons, using a core suture alone, a core suture with a simple running surface suture and a new modification involving a 'Halsted' horizontal mattress technique for the peripheral stitch. The Halsted modification increased the load at which a visible gap formed by 93%, the load at which a 2 mm gap formed by 77%, and the maximum strength by 89%. This increase was due to the technique; it did not depend on the suture material used. The bulk of the tendon repair was not significantly greater with the Halsted modification.     

Running Combined Simple and Vertical Mattress Suture: A Rapid Skin-Everting Stitch

BACKGROUND: Vertical mattress sutures are used in skin surgery to produce eversion of the wound edges, which produces a better, cosmetically acceptable scar. The disadvantages of this closure include the risk of wound hypereversion if tied too tightly, longer time to perform the stitch, and difficulties with grasping the externalized loops during suture removal. OBJECTIVE: To examine and discuss the new modification of running vertical mattress sutures, which can overcome the disadvantages. METHODS: Running combined simple and vertical mattress suture techniques are presented in a series of schematic diagrams that follow. RESULTS: The running combined simple and vertical mattress is easier and quicker to close the wound than the classic interrupted or running vertical mattress suture. Whereas the mattress suture everts the wound edges, the simple suture coapts the sides, preventing undue inversion or hypereversion of the wound. Suture removal is less uncomfortable for the patient and is performed faster by the medical staff owing to a reduction in the number of externalized loops by half compared with the classic vertical mattress stitch. CONCLUSION: Alternation of the vertical mattress and simple running suture saves the surgeon's time without lessening the advantages of good wound eversion and hence the formation of a less apparent, cosmetically more appealing scar after wound contraction.     

Laurence’s stitch: continuous horizontal mattress suture for skin closure

Various techniques have been described for closure of surgical wounds. These include, subcuticular technique, interrupted vertical mattress, clips, etc. We report a technique of continuous horizontal mattress for skin closure using absorbable suture material. This technique is quick and easy to master, avoid gaping of wound, good cosmesis and is suitable for all wound sizes.     

Use of continuous horizontal mattress suture techniques in microsurgery: an experimental study in rats

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the continuous horizontal mattress suture technique can replace the continuous simple suture technique and to compare the results with other microvascular suture procedures. METHODS: Sixty-four femoral arteries of 32 Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. The animals were divided equally into 4 groups with 16 anastomoses in each group. The arteries (0.8-1.0 mm diameter) were anastomosed by using the continuous horizontal mattress suture technique in group I, interrupted horizontal mattress suture technique in group II, simple interrupted suture technique in group III, and simple continuous suture technique in group IV. At the end of the anastomosis time, leakage, and patency were assessed and graded in all groups. On the 14th day after surgery the rats were killed and 5 patent specimens from each group were examined under light microscopy for histology. One specimen from each group was prepared for scanning of the endothelial surface under electron scanning microscopy. RESULTS: Group I anastomoses were performed the most quickly. Groups I and III anastomoses had 100% patency rates. Under light microscopy the edge eversion was apparent consistently and under electron microscopy all endothelial surfaces were intact and no suture material was seen in groups I and II. In group III some suture material was covered by endothelial cells and lumen surfaces were torn; endothelization also was rough compared with groups I and II. In group IV suture material was seen in the lumen because of a loose suture knot. The endothelium also was not regular. CONCLUSIONS: The horizontal mattress suturing technique is the only technique in which the suture material never contacts the lumen. Continuous horizontal mattress suture technique is superior to the other microvascular procedures and is the safest and fastest procedure for microvascular anastomosis in rats.     

The effect of suture pattern and tension on cutaneous blood flow as assessed by laser Doppler flowmetry in a pig model

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of various suture patterns on cutaneous blood flow (CBF) at the wound edge as increasing tension is applied through the suture. METHODS: Four different suture patterns commonly used for wound closure (simple, vertical mattress, horizontal mattress, and Allgower-Donati) were placed individually after a full-thickness incision was made in an anesthetized pig. A laser Doppler flowmeter (LDF) was placed on the skin edge after the suture was passed. Baseline CBF was recorded. Increasing tension was applied to the wound edge via the suture through a tensionometer in 0.5-lb (0.23-kg) increments from 0 to 2.5 lb (1.13 kg). CBF was then recorded as a function of tension for each suture pattern. RESULTS: The Allgower-Donati suture pattern affected CBF significantly less than the other three suture patterns did for all tensions from 0.5 to 2.0 lb (0-0.9 kg; P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between vertical mattress, horizontal mattress, and simple suture patterns. CONCLUSIONS: The Allgower-Donati suture pattern had the least effect on CBF with increasing tension in this model. Further study is warranted on the benefits of this suture pattern because it may decrease wound complications in traumatized tissues.     

Locking Horizontal Mattress Suture

The horizontal mattress suture is useful in wounds in which there is a need for wound edge compression to provide hemostasis, closure is under moderate tension, or edge eversion is important. Its primary disadvantage is difficult suture removal and precise wound edge apposition. We describe a locking horizontal mattress technique that facilitates suture removal and provides more control over wound edge placement while providing hemostasis, tensile strength, and eversion.     

Load to failure of common meniscal repair techniques: Effects of suture technique and suture material

Success of meniscal repair with early or immediate motion depends on the ability of the suture fixation to withstand the loads applied. Vertical and horizontal mattress suture techniques were tested using 2-0 Ethibond, and 0-PDS and 1-PDS sutures (Ethicon, Somerville, NJ). Mulberry knot technique was tested with 0-PDS and 1-PDS sutures. Twenty menisci (60 sutures) were tested for each suture material. Sutures were placed 3 to 4 mm from the peripheral edge of the meniscus with double barreled cannulas for vertical and horizontal mattress techniques or a spinal needle for the mulberry knot technique, reproducing clinical techniques of meniscal repair. Mechanical testing of suture fixation was performed to failure at a rate of 10 mm/min on a MTS material testing system (MTS Systems Corp. Minneapolis, MN). Suture pullouts were reported as the load displacement to failure from the inner fragment only, because clinical failure would ensue should a suture pull through the inner fragment of a tear. Vertical mattress technique with 1-PDS suture had significantly greater load to failure than any other combination (P < .05). Analysis of variance showed that the vertical mattress technique had statistically superior pullout strength (P < .0001) compared with the horizontal mattress and mulberry knot techniques, which were statistically similar. There were significant differences (P < .0001) between suture types, with 1-PDS proving best compared with 0-PDS, which was stronger than 2-0 Ethibond. Selection of suture material had the greatest impact on vertical mattress load to failure and was not important to the strength of the other techniques.     

A technique of anastomosing bowel ends with discrepancy in size.

There have been only a few methods devised to solve the problem of discrepancy in size of the bowel ends for anastomosis. We describe another method to overcome this problem by using a one-layer open technique. For the posterior wall the anastomosis consists of a horizontal mattress suture on the larger end and a vertical mattress suture on the smaller end. For the anterior wall the Gambee suture is used.     

A TECHNIQUE OF ANASTOMOSING BOWEL ENDS WITH DISCREPANCY IN SIZE

There have been only a few methods devised to solve the problem of discrepancy in size of the bowel ends for anastomosis. We descrbe another method to overcome this problem by using a one-layer open technique. For the posterior wall the anastomosis consists of a horizontal mattress suture on the larger end and a vertical mattress suture on the smaller end. For the anterior wall the Gambee suture is used.     

Mechanical strength of arthroscopic rotator cuff repair techniques: an in vitro study

BACKGROUND: Retears after rotator cuff repairs occur relatively frequently and may compromise the functional result. The goal of this study was to analyze the mechanical properties following arthroscopic techniques for rotator cuff repair and to evaluate possible alternative techniques. METHODS: In the first part, five different bone anchors (the Revo screw; Mitek Rotator Cuff anchor, 5.0-mm Statak, PANALOK RC absorbable anchor, and 5.0-mm Bio-Statak) were tested in vitro under cyclic loading on five pairs of cadaveric shoulders. Then five types of arthroscopic tendon suturing instruments were tested on rotator cuff tendons. Finally, the arthroscopically performed mattress and modified Mason-Allen stitches, fixed with either the Revo screw or the Bio-Statak, were evaluated on ten pairs of human cadaveric shoulders. RESULTS: The holding strengths of the various anchors were similar, ranging from 130 to 180 N, and approximated the holding strength of knotted number-2 suture materials. The fixation of the tested anchors yielded comparable values of stiffness except for one anchor, which showed significantly greater subsidence under cyclic load (p = 0.003). All tested, commercially available arthroscopic suturing devices were unsuitable for performing a modified Mason-Allen stitch on normal supraspinatus tendons. Modification of a commercially available suture punch with a longer needle allowed us to consistently perform a modified Mason-Allen stitch. The modified Mason-Allen stitch, which has shown favorable mechanical properties in open repairs of the rotator cuff, was not found to be stronger than the mattress stitch when performed arthroscopically and used with bone anchors. When the modified Mason-Allen stitch was fixed to one anchor, it was even weaker than a mattress stitch repaired with another anchor (168 versus 228 N). Unequal loading of the two suture branches due to the more rigid modified Mason-Allen stitch may be the reason for this difference. CONCLUSIONS: Arthroscopic techniques for rotator cuff repair with use of the mattress stitch and bone anchors allow for a relatively solid fixation. The holding strength is not improved with use of the modified Mason-Allen stitch. Although a direct comparison with previous in vitro studies is not possible, the holding strength of open fixation techniques seems to be stronger. If rotator cuffs are subjected to high postoperative loading, open repair might be preferred to reduce the risk of a retear, until stronger arthroscopic fixation techniques are developed.     

End-to-end microvascular anastomosis in the rat carotid artery using continuous horizontal mattress sutures

This paper reports a continuous horizontal mattress suture technique with advantages such as decreased time for anastomosis, minimized anastomotic leakage, eversion around the vessel edges, and other advantages which the continuous anastomosis technique has. This technique was compared with the classical interrupted and classical continuous suture techniques on a total of 59 Sprague-Dawley rat common carotid arteries: Group 1 (n = 19), interrupted suture technique; Group 2 (n = 20), standard continuous technique, and Group 3 (n = 20), continuous horizontal mattress technique. Early (30 min) and late (21 days) patency rates, anastomosis time, leakage on clamp release, oozing duration, additional sutures needed, and total number of sutures placed were statistically compared between groups. Specimens were taken at the 21st day randomly, and light microscopy (LM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and angiographic studies were performed. Results revealed that the continuous mattress suture technique has the advantages of providing a water-tight anastomosis with less suture materials in a shorter time, and minimal intraluminal suture material which can incite thrombosis. On the other hand, a tendency to anastomotic stricture was found to be the sole disadvantage of this technique.     

Technique for insertion of the inflow cannula of the INCOR left ventricular assist device

Our insertion technique for the inflow cannula of the INCOR left ventricular assist device (Berlin Heart AG, Berlin, Germany) is as follows. The apex ring is secured to the left ventricular apex using eight horizontal mattress sutures with full-thickness bites of myocardium. Another eight horizontal mattress sutures are then placed first through the Dacron felt pledgets (DuPont, Wilmington, DE) of the previously placed mattress sutures and then through the myocardium, the apex ring, and the suture collar of the inflow cannula. A double purse-string 3-0 polypropylene suture is placed on the Dacron pledgets around the apical hole and tightly tied.     

Comparative and experimental study on different tendinous grasping techniques in rotator cuff repair: a new reinforced stitch

Arthroscopic repair of wide rotator cuff ruptures is burdened by a percentage of recurrences that is greater than the repair carried out when an open technique is used. One of the main reasons for this difference can be searched for in the minor hold of stitching on the tendinous aspect obtained with arthroscopic repair. In fact, when an open technique is used, good hold can be guaranteed by using reinforced stitches such as the modified Mason-Allen. Thus, arthroscopic repair technique on the tendinous aspect, particularly in wide and massive injuries, must be improved. It was the purpose of this study to compare a new reinforced stitch that can easily be obtained in arthroscopy (simple stitch that orthogonally crosses a horizontal stitch previously knotted on the tendon: SS-HL), with traditional stitches (simple stitch, mattress-stitch and modified Mason-Allen stitch). Tests were carried out on sheep infraspinatus tendons in order to evaluate the resistance of pull-out. The SS-HL stitch showed resistance to loading that was similar to that when the modified Mason-Allen was used, but it was greater than that shown by the simple stitch (+48%) and the mattress stitch (+35%).     

Suture technique in preventing dehiscence of prosthetic mitral valves

To evaluate suture techniques for mitral valve replacement, 60 fresh porcine hearts were used to determine suture holding strength. Using four techniques (simple interrupted, figure-of-eight, and horizontal without and with pledgets), the anterior leaflet, the posterior leaflet, and the commissures were sutured. The free ends of the sutures were then attached to a force transducer, and tension was increased until disruption occurred. In the anterior leaflet, horizontal mattress sutures disrupted with significantly less force than the other techniques. Pledgets increased the holding strength of mattress sutures, but figure-of-eight and simple interrupted sutures had greater holding strength than sutures with pledgets, suggesting that the direction of the suture vs that of tissue fibers is critical. Histologic studies confirmed this point. The posterior leaflet exhibited less holding strength than the anterior leaflet for all suture techniques but did not demonstrate a superiority for any specific technique. The posterior leaflet is the problem area for suture disruption from the mitral anulus. We secure mitral prostheses with horizontal mattress sutures with pledgets around the entire anulus, placing them from the atrial side.