Suspensory Fixation Device for Use With Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone Grafts.

Abstract

Good to excellent results at long-term follow-up have been published for bone-patellar tendon-bone (BTB) graft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Fixation using screws historically has been the most common choice for femoral and tibial bone blocks, but screws present several disadvantages, which include the risk of blowout (for which prevention implies having to shift the position of the tunnel anteriorly), as well as lesions of the bone blocks and tendons. This article describes a technique using Pullup BTB adjustable-loop length suspensory fixation (SBM, Lourdes, France) on the femoral and tibial sides. The graft is harvested and prepared classically. This device combines the advantages of suspensory fixation (precise position of the tunnel, high tensile strength), with the advantages of the adjustable loop (control of bone block position within the femoral tunnel, possibility of retightening the graft) and allows for double passage of the loop through each bone block for increased safety. So, it could represent an interesting and secure option for anatomic reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament when a BTB graft is chosen.