Ex vivo biomechanical evaluation of polyester and polyblend suture techniques to perform equine laryngoplasty.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To validate the use of a polyblend tape suture in equine laryngoplasty (PL). STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study. ANIMALS: Thirty-two cadaveric larynges. METHODS: Each larynx was randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups: PL with polyblend tape suture (TigerTape), without (TT) or with a cannula (TTC) in the muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage, and PL with polyester suture (Ethibond), without (EB) or with a cannula (EBC). Construct stiffness, total migration, creep, and drift values were measured after 3000&#x2009;cycles. The specimens were then loaded to failure to assess their residual properties: load at failure, total energy, displacement, and 2 stiffness coefficients. RESULTS: After cyclic testing, the total migration and creep were lower in TTC (6.36&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;1.20&#x2009;mm; 1.35&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;0.38&#x2009;mm/s) than in EB (11.12&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;4.20&#x2009;mm; 3.39&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;2.68&#x2009;mm/s) and in the TT constructs (11.26&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;1.49&#x2009;mm; 3.20&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;0.54&#x2009;mm/s); however, no difference was found with EBC (9.19&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;3.18&#x2009;mm; 2.14&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;0.99). A correlation was found between total migration and creep (R&#xa0;=&#xa0;.85). The TTC constructs failed at higher loads (129.51&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;33.84&#x2009;N) than EB (93.16&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;18.21&#x2009;N) and EBC (81.72&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;13.26&#x2009;N) whereas the EB and EBC constructs were less stiff than TT and TTC (P&#x2009;<&#x2009;.001). CONCLUSION: Biomechanical properties were generally superior for the TTC constructs tested under cyclical loading. The TT and TTC constructs failed at a higher load than EB and EBC constructs. The cannula in TTC and EBC reduced the failure at the muscular process. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: These results provide evidence to support the in vivo evaluation of the polyblend tape suture with or without a cannula in the muscular process for laryngoplasty in horses.