The use of suture anchors in repair of the ruptured patellar tendon: a biomechanical study.
BACKGROUND
Rupture of the patellar tendon is a disabling injury that usually requires surgical treatment. The standard method of repair involves placing suture loops through transpatellar tunnels. The use of suture anchors in patellar tendon repair has not been previously described.


OBJECTIVE
No difference exists in the amount of gap formation during cyclic loading or in ultimate load-to-failure strength between repairs performed with anchors and those performed with 2 types of transpatellar sutures.


METHODS
Controlled laboratory study.


METHODS
Six matched pairs of cadaveric knees were tested in a custom biomechanical apparatus based on an established model. Repairs were performed using either suture anchors with No. 2 FiberWire or transpatellar suture tunnels using 2 different types of suture-No. 5 Ethibond and No. 2 FiberWire. Gap formation across the repair site during 250 cycles of extension as well as ramp-up load to failure were measured for each repair.


RESULTS
The mean total gap formation across the repair site at 250 cycles was 4.1 +/- 1.9 mm for the suture anchor group, 6.7 +/- 1.8 mm for the FiberWire tunnel group, and 8.5 +/- 2.7 mm for the Ethibond tunnel group. Mean load to failure was 779 +/- 183 N, 730 +/- 83 N, and 763 +/- 231 N, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Significantly less gap formation throughout 250 cycles (P = .009) and no difference in load to failure occurred with patellar tendon repairs performed with suture anchors as compared with repairs performed with transpatellar tunnels.


CONCLUSIONS
The newly described method, using suture anchors for repair of patellar tendon ruptures, may be clinically equal or superior to the established method of using transpatellar tunnels.
Bushnell
Brandon D
BD
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7055, USA. bbushnel@unch.unc.edu
Byram
Ian R
IR
Weinhold
Paul S
PS
Creighton
R Alex
RA