Primary Nerve Repair: Strength of Repair with Different Gauges of Nylon Suture Material

Abstract

Cadaveric median nerves were divided and repaired with interrupted epineural sutures, as in normal clinical practice, using three different gauges of nylon monofilament material. Tensile testing of the nerve repairs showed that, of these three gauges, 9/0 (0.3 metric) sutures were preferable: gap formation at the repair site occurred at the highest force. Finer gauge (10/0) sutures snapped at a lower force, while thicker (8/0) sutures were less consistent and pulled out of the nerve tissue.