Biomechanical engineering analysis of commonly utilized mitral neochordaeCentral MessagePerspective
Mateo Marin-Cuartas, MD,
Annabel M. Imbrie-Moore, MS, PhD,
Yuanjia Zhu, MD, MS,
Matthew H. Park, MS,
Robert Wilkerson, BS,
Matthew Leipzig, BS,
Michael A. Borger, MD, PhD,
Y. Joseph Woo, MD
Affiliations
Mateo Marin-Cuartas, MD
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif; University Department of Cardiac Surgery, Leipzig Heart Center, Leipzig, Germany
Annabel M. Imbrie-Moore, MS, PhD
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif
Yuanjia Zhu, MD, MS
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif; Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif
Matthew H. Park, MS
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif
Robert Wilkerson, BS
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif
Matthew Leipzig, BS
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif
Michael A. Borger, MD, PhD
University Department of Cardiac Surgery, Leipzig Heart Center, Leipzig, Germany
Y. Joseph Woo, MD
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif; Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif; Address for reprints: Y. Joseph Woo, MD, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Falk Cardiovascular Research Center, 300 Pasteur Dr, Stanford, CA 94305.
Objective: To evaluate the suture rupture forces of commonly clinically utilized neochord repair techniques to identify the most biomechanically resistant most biomechanically resistant technique. Methods: Several types of neochord techniques (standard interrupted neochordae, continuous running neochordae, and loop technique), numbers of neochordae, and suture calibers (polytetrafluoroethylene CV-3 to CV-6) were compared. To perform the tests, both ends of the neochordae were loaded in a tensile force analysis machine. During the test, the machine applied tension to the neochord until rupture was achieved. The tests were performed 3 times for each variation, and the rupture forces were averaged for statistical analysis. Results: Rupture force was significantly higher for running neochordae relative to interrupted neochordae (P 2 independent sets of multiple running neochordae in each set).
