gms | German Medical Science

Objectives: To evaluate whether different suture materials in meniscal repair may harm cartilage tissue.

Methods: A preloaded linear friction testing setup using porcine knees with porcine cartilage, porcine meniscus and different suture materials (braided non-absorbable, absorbable monofilament) was used. Five groups with different tribological pairs were tested; cartilage on meniscus (control), cartilage on cartilage (control no. 2) and cartilage on different meniscus sutures (3 groups). Cartilage integrity was analyzed macroscopically by the ink method and histologically using Giemsa-Eosin stained undecalcified MMA sections. Cartilage lesions were classified using a quantitative scoring system.

Results and Conclusion: The control groups did not show cartilage damage, neither macroscopically nor histologically. Loading cartilage with sutured menisci led to significant damage of the superficial radial- and transitional zone with braided non-absorbable (p=0.03) and absorbable monofilament (p=0.02) sutures at final examination. . Sutured menisci using braided non-absorbable material resulted in deeper damage of the cartilage. However, there were no significant differences between the suture materials. Perpendicular to surface motion orientated sutures led to a larger defect than parallel orientated sutures.

Braided non-absorbable and absorbable monofilament suture materials damage cartilage during long term cyclic loading in-vitro significantly. The extent of damage is dependent on suture orientation.