[Cruciate ligament replacement--current status. Carbon fiber implants]

The substitution of cruciate ligaments with carbon fibre implants is a treatment method for chronic ligament instabilities which is sufficiently reliable and can be easily standardized. The good bio-compatibility of the material is sufficiently demonstrated, its biomechanical properties - above all the tensile strength - are excellent. The poor resistance to shearing forces of the carbon fibre implants has to be considered as a limiting factor. The risk of a rupture of the implant can be considerably reduced by coating the prospective intra-articular ligament section and by smoothing off the borehole edges. A check-up investigation of 96 out of 112 operated patients showed good or satisfactory results in 3/4 of the examined patients.