Biomechanical Effects of Fiber Patch Augmentation on Rotator Cuff Repairs

Rotator cuff repairs are a common orthopedic procedure that have a relatively high failure rate when tendon quality is poor. New biotechnology exists that can make tendons with poor quality more amenable to repair. This study examined the biomechanical effects of augmenting a rotator cuff repair with an absorbable fiber patch. Six human cadaveric supraspinatus tendons were prepared into 1-cm wide strips and then repaired to the rotator cuff footprint using a titanium anchor and a single mattress suture. Each shoulder underwent repair with and without a fiber patch. The specimens were subjected to cyclic loading (100 cycles) and load-to-failure (LTF) testing. Gap formation after 100 cycles was measured along with LTF in surviving specimens. Gap formation after 100 cycles was 1.07 mm in the suture-only group and 0.50 mm in the fiber patch-augmented group (P=.002). Load-to-failure was 54.26 N in the suture-only group and 109.53 N in the patch-augmented group (P<.001). The use of a fiber patch to augment rotator cuff repair reduced gap formation and increased LTF. [Orthopedics. 2020; 43(1):42-45.].