The effect of interference screw diameter on fixation of soft-tissue grafts in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect that interference screw diameter has on fixation strength of a soft-tissue anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft.


METHODS
We prepared 32 fresh-frozen bovine tibiae with 9-mm ACL tibial tunnels. Accompanying 9-mm soft-tissue bovine Achilles grafts were also prepared. Bioabsorbable interference screws of increasing diameters were used for tibial fixation. There were 4 groups, consisting of 8-, 9-, 10-, and 11-mm screws for fixation of the 9-mm graft in the 9-mm tunnel. Tensile testing and cyclic loading from 50 to 250 N at 2 Hz for a total of 1,500 cycles were performed with a hydraulic biaxial materials testing machine. Graft slippage was measured with a video analysis technique with photo-reflective markers. At the end of cyclic testing, the grafts were loaded to failure, and the ultimate strength was recorded.


RESULTS
All grafts failed at the tendon-bone-screw interface. The ultimate strength (+/- SD) was greatest for the 11-mm screw (624 +/- 133 N), with slightly decreased strength for the 10-mm (601 +/- 54 N), 9-mm (576 +/- 85 N), and 8-mm (532 +/- 185 N) screws. Graft slippage (+/- SD) was least for the 9-mm screw (2.65 +/- 2.38 mm). There were no statistically significant differences in ultimate strength and graft slippage between screws (P = .45 and P = .34, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
All interference screws tested provided adequate fixation strength. The results of this study show no statistical significance for ultimate strength or graft slippage with variable screw diameter.


CONCLUSIONS
Aperture fixation with the interference screw technique provides adequate stability for soft-tissue grafts in ACL reconstruction. Although no statistical significance was found, there was a trend toward less graft-site motion when we used a screw diameter equal to tunnel size.
Micucci
Chad J
CJ
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. georgi.wassilew@charite.de
Frank
Darren A
DA
Kompel
John
J
Muffly
Matthew
M
Demeo
Patrick J
PJ
Altman
Gregory T
GT
D020341:Absorbable Implants; D000818:Animals; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001863:Bone Screws; D002417:Cattle; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D013710:Tendons / Q000637:transplantation*; D013977:Tibia / Q000601:surgery