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N-chlorotaurine does not alter structural tendon properties: a comparative biomechanical study
Armin Runer1,2, Friedemann Schneider3, Karl Wawer4
1Medical University of Innsbruck, Dept. of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Innsbruck, Austria. armin.runer@tum.de.
Introduction:
N-chlorotaurine (NCT) is a well-tolerated antiseptic with broad-spectrum microbicidal activity and could therefore be a promising alternative to vancomycin, the current standard of care for the prevention of postoperative septic arthritis (PSA) after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR).
Materials And Methods:
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether soaking bovine extensor tendons in N-chlorotaurine (NCT), vancomycin, or 0.9% saline influences structural tendon properties. In this controlled biomechanical study, fifty bovine extensor tendons were randomized into groups and soaked for 10 min in distilled water solutions containing either 1% vancomycin, 1% NCT, 5% NCT, 5% NCT with 0.1% ammonium chloride, or 0.9% saline. Tendons were then mounted in cryo-clamps and subjected to uniaxial tensile testing until failure. Failure mode, ultimate load, ultimate elongation, and stiffness of the linear region from the load-elongation curve were extracted and compared for each graft.
Results:
No statistically significant differences were detected across all measured parameters (p > 0.05) and solutions. The mean ultimate load, ultimate elongation, stiffness and elastic modulus were not statistically significantly different between all five tested solutions.
Conclusions:
Both NCT and vancomycin even at high concentrations do not impair structural tendon properties compared to 0.9% saline. NCT appears to be safe for clinical use from a biomechanical perspective.
