[Alloplastic replacement in chronic isolated rupture of the cruciate ligament--technic and results]

A report is given on 48 inveterate isolated cruciate ligament ruptures of the knee joint which were treated by corrective reconstruction surgery with an alloplastic material made of polyethyleneterephtalate. 36 patients could be checked up almost five years after the implantation. It is of great importance that the described implantation technique is strictly observed. The therapy results obtained by alloplastic substitution of the cruciate ligament show that a considerably better stability of the ligament is achieved by this method than by the use of autologous pedicle or free tissue grafts (J. Mockwitz, H. Contzen). The alloplastic substitution of the isolated cruciate ligament rupture by means of a polyethyleneterephtalate ligament seems to be an "ideal" indication. Up to now, however, we have never made the decision to perform a primary alloplastic substitution in case of a recent rupture, e.g. of the anterior cruciate ligament, or to apply the textile ligament material in order to fix or to strengthen the sutured or reinserted ligament structures.