Biomechanical Evaluation of Suture Tape Internal Brace Reinforcement of Soft Tissue Allografts for ACL Reconstruction Using a Porcine Model (May 2022)
Abstract: Background: Internal bracing of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery is a newer concept gaining popularity.
Purpose/hypothesis: To assess the biomechanical performance of soft tissue ACL reconstruction allografts reinforced with suture tape. It was hypothesized that load to failure would increase and cyclic displacement would decrease at time zero in the constructs reinforced with internal brace suture tape compared with those without suture tape augmentation.
Study design: Controlled laboratory study.
Methods: We performed ACL reconstruction on porcine knees using bovine extensor tendon soft tissue allografts: 10 knees without (control) and 10 knees with (reinforced) suture tape reinforcement. An all-inside reconstruction technique was utilized with retrograde tunnel creation.