A new rigid biodegradable anchor for meniscus refixation: biomechanical evaluation

All-inside repair devices have been developed to overcome the disadvantages of conventional suture techniques (such as vein and nerve damage and increased OR time). The Contour Meniscus Arrow is a second generation of the first biodegradable all-inside implant, the Meniscus Arrow. The aim of this study was to compare the biomechanical properties of the Contour Meniscus Arrow to the first-generation Meniscus Arrow and vertical or horizontal suture techniques. In fresh frozen bovine menisci, initial fixation strength, stiffness and failure mode of four different meniscus refixation techniques (Meniscus Arrow, Contour Meniscus Arrow, vertical and horizontal 2–0 Ethibond suture techniques) were evaluated in a computer-based material-testing machine at a rate of 12.5 mm/s. Vertical meniscus sutures showed the highest initial fixation strength, followed by the horizontal suture technique and the Contour Arrow. The Meniscus Arrow showed inferior pull-out strength. Subjecting the different refixation techniques to cyclic testing decreased the fixation strength in all groups. The modified Meniscus Anchor (Contour Arrow) provides biomechanical properties that are superior (pull-out strength) or similar (stiffness) compared to the first biodegradable all-inside implant, the Meniscus Arrow. The pull-out strength of the Contour Arrow was comparable to the pull-out strength reported for horizontal meniscus sutures in the literature. These biomechanical characteristics of this new implant justify clinical use.