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A Comparison of Ultrasonic Suture Welding and Traditional Knot Tying

John C. Richmond, MD

Tufts University School of Medicine, New England Medical Center Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts

Presented at the 26th annual meeting of the AOSSM, Sun Valley, Idaho, June 2000.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to John C. Richmond, MD, Tufts University School of Medicine, New England Medical Center Hospital, 750 Washington Street, NEMC Box No. 189, Boston, MA 02111.

The slippage of knots and the technical challenge of tying them securely are potential impediments to certain arthroscopic procedures. Ultrasonic energy delivered at 70 kHz can be used to weld No. 2 polypropylene suture. This method was compared with a traditional knot (surgeon’s knot with four alternating half hitches) tied with an open technique to determine whether welding of sutures is comparable, in mechanical properties, to hand-tied knots. Both loops were fashioned around a 0.25-inch mandrel and then tested. The load to reach 3-mm elongation (point of likely biologic failure of a repair) was significantly greater for welded sutures than for knots. The elongation at ultimate failure was significantly less for welded sutures than for knots. The number of cycles to failure and the creep after initial displacement were similar for both welded and knotted suture loops. The ultimate load to failure was significantly greater for the knotted than for the welded suture. The welding of suture for the repair of musculoskeletal soft tissue presents an attractive alternative to traditional knot tying, particularly for arthroscopic applications.

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