2022 journal article
Double‐loop cerclage resists greater loads for more cycles than twist and single‐loop cerclage
Veterinary Surgery, 51(2), 335–340.
To compare the mechanical performance of cerclage secured with twist, single-loop, and double-loop knots subjected to cyclic loading.In vitro biomechanical study.Twist, single-loop and double-loop cerclage configurations of 1.0 mm wire.The peak load resisted by each cerclage type was determined (n = 6). Cerclage were loaded cyclically to 80%, 60%, 40%, or 20% of its peak load (n = 8 per load level). The number of cycles until each cerclage loosened (residual tension <10 N) was recorded.All wires that failed did so by loosening. Twist cerclage cycled to 390 N and 290 N loosened within the first 10 cycles, and, when cycled to 100 N, they loosened by 250 cycles. All twist knots loosened by untwisting. Single-loop cerclage cycled to 320 N loosened within 10 cycles. At 240 N, 5 single-loop cerclage resisted 250 cycles before loosening. At 160 N, 2 of the 8 single-loop cerclage did not loosen by 100 000 cycles. When cycled to 640 N, one of the double-loop cerclage did not loosen following 500 000 cycles. When cycled to 480 N, 3 of the 8 wires did not loosen.Double-loop cerclage will be tighter and are better able to resist cycling than twist or single-loop cerclage.Use of double-loop cerclage to stabilize bone fragments or prevent fissure propagation can be expected to provide greater resistance to loosening than twist or single-loop cerclage, both initially and with repeated loading.