Gap Formation in Achilles Tendon Reinsertion in Cats: A Comparative Ex Vivo Study of Bone Tunnel and a Bioabsorbable Suture Anchor.

Bioabsorbable suture anchors superior to bone tunnels for feline Achilles tendon reinsertion.

This ex vivo comparative study evaluated two surgical techniques for feline Achilles tendon reinsertion: a classical transcalcaneal bone tunnel versus a bioabsorbable suture anchor. Seven pairs of gastrocnemius tendon-calcaneus specimens were tested using tensile loading under physiological conditions, with gap formation monitored via video analysis. The suture anchor technique demonstrated superior resistance to gap formation, achieving significantly higher loads at 0.5 mm gap (44.2 ± 5.5 N versus 23.0 ± 15.4 N). Notably, the suture anchor group did not reach 3 mm gap formation during testing. Failure loads were comparable between techniques (55.2 ± 8.0 N for suture anchor versus 65.1 ± 8.3 N for bone tunnel), with failures attributable to suture breakage rather than tendon pull-through. The findings suggest the bioabsorbable suture anchor provides biomechanical advantages for maintaining tendon-bone interface integrity in cats.

This summary was distilled by AI and may occasionally misinterpret data. Confirm critical details with the primary literature before clinical application.