Pullout force of power-driven staples in cadaveric femoral metaphysis.

The maximum pullout force in the distal metaphysis of cadaver femurs was investigated using a commercially available, pneumatically inserted staple. In paired studies, a significantly greater pullout force was required in the power-driven staples than in an almost identical sized hand-driven staple. A nonlinear relationship was shown to exist between staple-leg length and maximum pullout force.