Hydrogel fibers for ACL prosthesis: design and mechanical evaluation of PVA and PVA/UHMWPE fiber constructs.

Prosthetic devices for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction have been unsuccessful due to mechanical failure or chronic inflammation. Polymer hydrogels combine biocompatibility and unique low friction properties; however, their prior use for ligament reconstruction has been restricted to coatings due to insufficient tensile mechanics. Here, we investigate new constructs of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel fibers.