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Anterior cruciate ligament repair with Independent Suture Tape Reinforcement: a case series with 2-year follow-up

  • KNEE
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

The treatment of acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures with a repair technique has recently regained interest. A novel ACL repair technique was described using Independent Suture Tape Reinforcement with 2-year follow-up results.

Methods

Forty-two consecutive patients with an acute ACL rupture undergoing repair using this technique were followed up for a minimum of 2 years. Patients with mid-substance, distal ACL ruptures, poor ACL tissue quality or retracted ACL remnants as well as patients with multi-ligament injuries were excluded. Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Visual Analogue Pain Scale (VAS-pain), Veterans RAND 12 Item Health Survey (VR-12) and the Marx Activity scale were collected by online questionnaires. Two-year postoperative patients were asked by telephone if they had experienced a rerupture.

Results

All the KOOS subscales improved significantly in comparison to the preoperative score. The largest improvement of all scores was seen at 3 months postoperatively which is significant in all cases. The KOOS sport and recreation showed a meaningful change and the largest improvement of the KOOS subscales at 3 months postoperatively, as well as the highest total improvement at 1 year postoperatively compared to preoperatively. The VAS-pain and VR-12 physical score improved significantly, however the Marx activity scale decreased significantly in comparison to preoperative scores. Two patients reported a rerupture (4.8%, CI 1.7–11.2%).

Conclusions

This is the first case series that described the 2-year follow-up results of patients with an acute, proximal ACL rupture, treated with the Independent Suture Tape Reinforcement repair technique. A meaningful KOOS sport and recreation change and significant improvements in the KOOS, VAS-pain and VR-12 physical scores as well as a significant decrease of the Marx activity scale in comparison to preoperative scores are demonstrated. Two of the 42 patients (4.8%) reported an ACL rerupture. Repair with this technique could be clinically relevant as a treatment option for patients with an acute, proximal ACL rupture which is not retracted and of good tissue quality.

Level of evidence

IV.

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Abbreviations

ACL:

Anterior cruciate ligament

ADL:

Activities of daily living

KOOS:

Knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score

PROMs:

Patient related outcome measures

QOL:

Quality of life

SOS:

Surgical outcome system

VAS-pain:

Visual analogue pain scale

VR-12:

Veterans RAND 12 Item health survey

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Funding

No funding for this study was received.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650, Edegem, Belgium

    Christiaan H. W. Heusdens & Lieven Dossche

  2. Speciality Registrar (T&O), Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland

    Graeme P. Hopper

  3. Clinical Trial Center (CTC), CRC Antwerp, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium

    Ella Roelant

  4. University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland

    Gordon M. Mackay

Authors
  1. Christiaan H. W. Heusdens
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  2. Graeme P. Hopper
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  3. Lieven Dossche
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  4. Ella Roelant
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  5. Gordon M. Mackay
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christiaan H. W. Heusdens.

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Conflict of interest

Christiaan Heusdens: none, Graeme Hopper: none, Lieven Dossche: Mathys (not related to this study), Ella Roelant: none, Gordon MacKay: Arthrex.

Ethical approval

Before analyzing the anonymous data retrospectively in a different center, this study has been deliberated with the local Belgian ethical committee. They stated that under the Belgian law no IRB approval is needed if the anonymous data is analyzed retrospectively.

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Heusdens, C.H.W., Hopper, G.P., Dossche, L. et al. Anterior cruciate ligament repair with Independent Suture Tape Reinforcement: a case series with 2-year follow-up. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 27, 60–67 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-018-5239-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-018-5239-1

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