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Biomechanical Evaluation of a New Technique for Rotator Cuff Repair*

Charles J. Petit, MD, Robert Boswell, MD, Andrew Mahar, MS, James Tasto, MD and Robert A. Pedowitz, MD, PhD

From the Orthopaedic Biomechanics Research Center, Children’s Hospital, San Diego, California

* Presented at the interim meeting of the AOSSM, Dallas, Texas, February 2002.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Robert A. Pedowitz, MD, University of California, San Diego, Department of Orthopaedics 8894, 350 Dickinson Street, San Diego, CA 92103-8894

Background: In recent studies, investigators have used a cyclic loading model to investigate the efficacy of rotator cuff fixation modalities.

Hypothesis: A bioabsorbable poly-D-lactic acid screw and toothed washer implant will provide more stable fixation of rotator cuff repairs than standard suture anchor techniques.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Methods: Forty bovine shoulders (ages 3 to 6 months) had 1 x 2 cm defects created in the infraspinatus tendon. There were five repair groups (eight specimens per group) consisting of either two screw and washer implants or two suture anchors. Four suture techniques were tested: single-loaded anchors with simple sutures, double-loaded anchors with simple sutures, single-loaded anchors with horizontal mattress sutures, or single-loaded anchors with modified Mason-Allen sutures. Repairs were loaded at 5-second cycles from 10 to 180 N with use of a hydraulic testing machine. The number of cycles to gap formation of 5 and 10 mm was recorded.

Results: Gap formation of 5 and 10 mm occurred significantly later for the screw repair group than for any of the suture anchor groups. There was no significant difference between suture groups.

Conclusions: The bioabsorbable screw and washer provided more stable fixation than suture anchor techniques under isometric cyclic loading conditions.

Clinical Relevance: This is a time-zero study of implant performance. The results indicate that the implant may decrease clinical failures in the early postoperative period under standard rehabilitation protocols.

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