'Through-the-loop' tie for microsurgical suturing.

Abstract

We present a technique for tying microsurgical knots called 'through-the-loop'. The main advantage of this technique is that the short end of the microsuture is always held by the instruments and thus prevented from falling and adhering to the surrounding tissue. Consequently, the short end can be easily re-grasped and the knot tied without difficulty. This technique can be performed by either right- or left-hand-dominant surgeons and can facilitate faster and more efficient microsurgical knot tying, which the novice microsurgeon may find useful.