Biomechanical analysis of the anterior cruciate ligament fixation

Objective: The aim of the present study was to develop the experimental methodology for the biomechanical analysis of the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Material and method: An ACL reconstruction was performed on 16 porcine knees. The graft used was the pig doubled lateral extensor of toes (DLET). Three different femoral fixation devices were tested and classified according to their fixation mechanism: compression, expansion and cortical-cancellous suspension. A fixation device was developed in order to analyze the unfavorable load case. All GFC were subjected to a load-to-failure test. Failure load, elongation and stiffness were calculated for each device. Results: Regarding stiffness and failure load, cortical-cancellous suspension and expansion, both with the double graft technique, showed the highest mean values. Compression and expansion, both with the single graft technique, showed worse results. Conclusions: Failure always took place in the graft, and thus was impossible to compare correctly the different fixation devices behavior.