A Technique for Patellar Tendon Repair Using a Suture-Free Nonwoven Polyethylene Terephthalate Implant

Surgical repair remains the standard of care for complete patellar tendon ruptures. However, healing is often challenging due to the tendon's poor biological environment and high tensile stress at the repair site. Bioinductive implants have been introduced to enhance tendon healing; however, they often lack early structural reinforcement. This report presents the FiberLocker System (ZuriMED Technologies AG, Zurich, Switzerland) which includes a FiberLocker Instrument and a SpeedPatch as a suture-free augmentation method for patellar tendon repair. The FiberLocker Instrument embeds the SpeedPatch polyethylene terephthalate, a synthetic nonwoven scaffold composed of a high-strength polymer, into the native tendon. Unlike traditional techniques that rely on sutures passed through tendon tissue, this system employs a reciprocating microblade mechanism that directly integrates polyethylene terephthalate fibers into the native tendon. This interwoven patch-tendon construct increases the surface area for load distribution, enhances biomechanical support at the time of repair, and reinforces the repair site without the need for additional sutures.