Comparative mass of suture material involved in extracorporeal slip knots

To compare the weights of commonly used extracorporeal slip knots.

The weights of seven commonly used types of extracorporeal slip knots and an intracorporeally tied flat square knot were compared. In each arm of the study, 17 knots were tied around a 5-mm jig using a laparoscopic trainer. Knots were weighed using microscales.

A laboratory experiment.

Weight of knot loops in milligrams.

The heaviest ligature was the modified Roeder knot. The Western knot utilized less suture material than all the other knots studied. The flat square knot utilized less suture material than all the slip knots with the exception of the Western ligature.

As other studies have correlated suture mass with the incidence of wound infection, a ligature with a low weight should be chosen in preference to the modified Roeder knot where possible.