Attaching artificial Achilles and tibialis cranialis tendons to bone using suture anchors in a rabbit model: assessment of outcomes.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors associated with outcomes of attaching artificial tendons to bone using suture anchors for replacement of biological tendons in rabbits.

Study Design: Metal suture anchors with braided composite sutures of varying sizes (USP #1, #2, or #5) were used to secure artificial tendons replacing both the Achilles and tibialis cranialis tendons in 12 New Zealand White rabbits. Artificial tendons were implanted either at the time of (immediate replacement, n=8), or four weeks after (delayed replacement, n=4) resection of the biological tendon. Hindlimb radiographs of the rabbits were obtained immediately after surgery and approximately every other week until the study endpoint (16 weeks post-surgery).

Results: All suture anchors used for the tibialis cranialis artificial tendons remained secure and did not fail during the study. The suture linkage between the Achilles artificial tendon and anchor failed in 9 of 12 rabbits. In all cases, the mode of failure was suture breakage distant from the knot. Based on radiographic analysis, the mean estimated failure timepoint was 5.3±2.3 weeks post-surgery, with a range of 2-10 weeks. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests revealed no significant effect of tendon implantation timing or suture size on either the timing or frequency of suture anchor failure.

Conclusion: Based on the mode of failure, suture mechanical properties, and suture anchor design, we suspect that the cause of failure was wear of the suture against the edges of the eyelet in the suture anchor post, which reduced the suture strength below in vivo loads. Suture anchor designs differed for the tibialis cranialis and did not fail during the period of study. Future studies are needed to optimize suture anchor mechanical performance under different loading conditions and suture anchor design features.