Knot strength of cerclage bands and wires

Abstract

I compared the knot strength of loop-and twist-knotted cerclage wires, and Parham and CPC bands, using a knot-slip resistance test. Two twist-knot devices and one loop-knot device were used to apply cerclage wires, and a band clamp was used to apply bands to a 5-cm-diameter split circular jaw mounted on a tensile testing machine. For all the wire sizes tested, the twisted knot provided greater resistance to knot failure than did the loop knot. Knot resistance increased with increase in wire size for all the devices tested. Neither band produced knot-slip resistance as great as 1.2-mm twist-knotted wire.