Implant preloading in extension reduces spring length change in dynamic intraligamentary stabilization: a biomechanical study on passive kinematics of the knee

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair Augmented With Dynamic Intraligamentary Stabilization Is Equivalent to Hamstring Autograft Reconstruction at Short- and Mid-Term Follow-Up: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

To compare clinical outcomes, knee stability and complications, failure, and revision rates after anterior cruciate ligament repair (ACLr) with dynamic intraligamentary stabilization (DIS) versus anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) with hamstring autograft for primary ACL ruptures at short and mid-term follow-up.

METHODS

A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-compliant systematic review of PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus was performed. Studies that evaluated patients undergoing ACLr with DIS or ACLR with hamstring autograft were considered for inclusion. Studies were excluded if patients were affected by concomitant meniscal, ligamentous, or chondral injuries needing surgical treatment, because of their potential confounding effect on postoperative outcomes. The Risk of Bias-2 tool was used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies. The quality of available evidence was rated according to Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation recommendations. The study protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database (ID: CRD42023394558).

RESULTS

Five randomized controlled trials comparing the outcomes of ACLr with DIS versus ACLR with hamstring autograft met the inclusion criteria. No major differences in terms of patient-reported outcomes (International Knee Documentation Committee subjective form, Lysholm score, Tegner activity scale, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, visual analog scale satisfaction) or rates of complications, revisions, and failures were found in included studies at all time points. Repair showed greater International Knee Documentation Committee subjective form scores at 5 years in one study, whereas ACLR displayed significantly increased knee stability at 6 months and 5 years in 2 different studies, although the clinical relevance of these differences is doubtful.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study suggest that ACLr with DIS is not inferior to ACLR with hamstring autograft in terms of rates of clinical outcomes, knee stability, risk of failure, complications, and revision surgery. Therefore, ACLr with DIS may be a viable alternative to ACLR with hamstring autograft in selected patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level I, systematic review of Level I studies.

Suture Augmentation in Orthopaedic Surgery Offers Improved Time-Zero Biomechanics and Promising Short-Term Clinical Outcomes

Ligament and tendon ruptures have historically been addressed with varying techniques involving either repair or reconstruction. More recently, the potential biomechanical benefits of suture augmentation (SA), also known as internal brace, have attracted substantial attention and helped renew interest in ligament repair surgery. We evaluated the biomechanical and clinical outcomes of SA-based techniques in the following sports medicine procedures: medial ulnar collateral ligament repair of the elbow, thumb collateral ligament repair, anterior cruciate ligament repair, Achilles' tendon repair, and deltoid ligament repair. Published data on the use of SA to augment repairs of the ulnar collateral ligament, thumb collateral ligament, anterior cruciate ligament, Achilles' tendon, and deltoid ligament repair demonstrates improved time-zero biomechanical and promising short to mid-term clinical outcomes. However, surgeons must be wary of potential complications, including joint over-constraint, nerve paresthesia, and infection.

Efficacy of Nonaugmented, Static Augmented, and Dynamic Augmented Suture Repair of the Ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament: A Systematic Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

Anterior cruciate ligament suture repair (ACLSR) was abandoned late last century in favor of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) because of overall disappointing results. However, in recent years there has been renewed and increasing interest in ACLSR for treatment of ACL ruptures. Several contemporary ACLSR techniques are being used, but any difference in effectiveness is unclear.

HYPOTHESIS

Contemporary nonaugmented (NA), static augmented (SA), and dynamic augmented (DA) ACLSR leads to (1) comparable outcomes overall and (2) comparable outcomes between proximal third, middle third, and combined ACL rupture locations (a) within and (b) between ACLSR technique categories.

STUDY DESIGN

Systematic review.

METHODS

An electronic search was performed in the MEDLINE and Embase databases for the period between January 1, 2010, and August 7, 2019. All articles describing clinical and patient-reported outcomes for ACLSR were identified and included, and outcomes for NA, SA, and DA ACLSR categories were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 31 articles and 2422 patients were included. The majority of articles (65%) and patients (89%) reported outcomes of DA ACLSR. Overall, there was high heterogeneity in study characteristics and level as well as quality of evidence (19 level 4; 7 level 3; 3 level 2; and 2 level 1). Most studies indicated excellent patient-reported outcomes. Overall, the variability in (and the maximum of) the reported failure rate was high within all ACLSR categories. The variability in (and the maximum of) the reported rate of all other complications was highest for DA ACLSR. Regarding ACL rupture location, the failure rate was highest in proximal ACL ruptures within the SA and DA ACLSR categories; rates of all other reported complications were highest in combined ACL ruptures within the DA ACLSR category. However, no studies in the NA category and only 1 study in the SA ACLSR category evaluated combined ACL ruptures. The majority of studies comparing ACLSR and ACLR found no differences in outcomes.

CONCLUSION

The amount of high-quality evidence for contemporary ACLSR is poor. This makes it difficult to interpret differences among ACLSR categories and among ACL rupture locations and, though promising, to establish the role of ACLSR in the treatment of ACL ruptures. More high-quality large randomized clinical trials with longer follow-up comparing ACLSR and ACLR are needed.

Good to Excellent Functional Short-Term Outcome and Low Revision Rates Following Primary Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair Using Suture Augmentation

The aim of this study was to evaluate the functional outcome of primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair using suture augmentation (SA) in 93 consecutive patients (67 female) with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Patients’ outcomes were determined using International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, Lysholm score (LS) and Tegner score (TS). Knee-laxity was assessed using the KT-1000 arthrometer. Eighty-eight patients (67 female, mean age 42 years ± standard deviation (SD) 13) were available for follow-up after a mean time of 21 months (range 12–39). Three patients (3%) underwent revision surgery and were excluded from functional analysis. The mean IKDC score was 87.4 ± 11, mean LS was 92.6 ± 11, mean pre-traumatic TS was 6 ± 2 and mean postoperative TS was 6 ± 2, with a mean difference (TS_Diff) of 1 ± 1. The interval from injury to surgery had no significant impact on the postoperative IKDC (p = 0.228), LS (p = 0.377) and TS_Diff (p = 0.572). Patients’ age (>40 years), BMI (>30) and coexisting ligament or meniscal injuries did not seem to influence postoperative functional results. Primary ACL repair using SA provides good to excellent functional outcomes with a low probability of revision surgery at a minimum of 12 months.

Repair With Dynamic Intraligamentary Stabilization Versus Primary Reconstruction of Acute Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears: 2-Year Results From a Prospective Randomized Study

BACKGROUND

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair has once again become a focus of research because of the development of new techniques.

PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS

The purpose was to compare the functional results and recurrent instability rates in patients undergoing ACL repair with dynamic intraligamentary stabilization (DIS) versus primary ACL reconstruction (ACLR) for acute isolated ACL tears. The hypothesis was that functional results and knee joint stability after ACL repair with DIS would be comparable with that after ACLR.

STUDY DESIGN

Randomized clinical trial; Level of evidence, 1.

METHODS

A total of 85 patients with acute ACL tears were randomized to undergo either ACL repair with DIS or primary ACLR. The preinjury activity level and function were recorded. Follow-up examinations were performed at 6 weeks and 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. Anterior tibial translation (ATT) was evaluated using Rolimeter testing. The Tegner activity scale, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective form, and Lysholm knee scoring scale scores were obtained. Clinical failure was defined as ΔATT >3 mm in combination with subjective instability. Recurrent instability and other complications were recorded.

RESULTS

There were 83 patients (97.6%) who were successfully followed until 2 years. ATT was significantly increased in the DIS group compared with the ACLR group (ΔATT, 1.9 vs 0.9 mm, respectively; P = .0086). A total of 7 patients (16.3%) in the DIS group had clinical failure and underwent single-stage revision. In the ACLR group, 5 patients (12.5%) had failure of the reconstruction procedure; 4 of these patients required 2-stage revision. The difference in the failure rate was not significant (P = .432). There were 4 patients (3 in the DIS group and 1 in the ACLR group) who showed increased laxity (ΔATT >3 mm) without subjective instability and did not require revision. Recurrent instability was associated with young age (<25 years) and high Tegner scores (>6) in both groups. No significant differences between ACL repair with DIS and ACLR were found for the Tegner, IKDC, and Lysholm scores at any time.

CONCLUSION

Whereas ATT measured by Rolimeter testing was significantly increased after ACL repair with DIS, clinical failure was similar to that after ACLR. In addition, functional results after ACL repair with DIS for acute tears were comparable with those after ACLR. The current study supports the use of ACL repair with DIS as an option to treat acute ACL tears.

REGISTRATION

DRKS00015466 (German Clinical Trials Register).

Isometric placement of the augmentation braid is not attained reliably in contemporary ACL suture repair

BACKGROUND

To assess if during arthroscopic braid-augmented ACL suture repair (ACLSR), the actual positions of the augmentation braids' tunnels corresponded with the positions of their intended and targeted isometric points, and to test the hypothesis that there would be no dispersion in actual positions of the augmentation braids' tunnels compared to their intended and targeted isometric points.

METHODS

In 12 human cadaveric knees, the positions of the augmentation braids' tunnels and their intended and targeted isometric points relative to a femoral and tibial grid were analysed. Furthermore, vector length between these positions was calculated to assess the accuracy and precision of the augmentation braids' tunnel placement.

RESULTS

There was dispersion for all of the augmentation braids' tunnel positions compared to their intended isometric points. The femoral and tibial vector lengths (mean ± SD (range)) were 2.9 ± 1.0 (1.1-4.1) and 7.1 ± 2.0 (3.2-9.8) mm respectively.

CONCLUSION

In augmented ACLSR, with the ruptured ACL in situ, there was dispersion of the positions of the actual small diameter femoral and tibial augmentation braids' tunnels away from their desired isometric points.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The extent of dispersion of the position of both the femoral and tibial tunnels away from their intended isometric positions may cause cyclic length changes with knee motion. An ACLSR with static braid augmentation will thus be vulnerable to cyclic stretching-out. The difficulty of obtaining an isometric tunnel combination for the small diameter augmentation braid may influence the clinician's choice between non-, static or dynamic augmented ACLSR techniques.

Dynamic intraligamentary stabilization for ACL repair: a systematic review

PURPOSE

It was the aim to assess all published original research dealing with dynamic repair of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and to provide a semi-quantitative analysis of clinical outcome reports.

METHODS

Both OVIS and MEDLINE databases were utilized for allocation of articles. All preclinical and clinical studies related to dynamic intraligamentary stabilization (DIS) were identified. Results were tabulated and semi-quantitative analysis performed.

RESULTS

Twenty-three articles related to DIS were identified. The predominant level of evidence ranged between II and IV, with only one level I study. Reported failure rates ranged between 4% and 13.6%. Most clinical studies only reported revision rates without referring to failure of restoring stability. Highest success was achieved with proximal ACL ruptures. Both the level of physical activity and  patient age have been found to influence the risk of failure.

CONCLUSION

There is sufficient evidence to support that DIS repair may be an effective modality for the treatment of acute proximal tears of the ACL. However, comparative studies are lacking. Upcoming studies should compare the technique to ACL reconstruction with failure as an endpoint. Comparison to rigid methods of proximal fixation is also necessary to justify the need for dynamic fixation. Overall, there is evidence to suggest the potential space for ACL repair in the decision tree for individualized treatment planning. The best outcome will be in the hands of the best patient selectors.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.