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Excellent clinical, functional results found with PLLA, PEEK screws for biceps tendon repair
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Use of either bioabsorbable poly-l-lactide or nonabsorbable polyetherether ketone screws in the treatment of acute distal biceps tendon ruptures had excellent clinical and functional outcomes, according to the results of this study, with bone tunnel widening found in all patients.
Researchers treated 23 patients with an acute distal biceps tendon rupture with re-insertion of the distal biceps tendon in a bone tunnel at the radial tuberosity through a single anterior incision using an transosseous button combined with either a poly-l-lactide (PLLA) screw (12 patients) or a polyetherether ketone (PEEK) screw (11 patients) between 2010 and 2014. Researchers retrospectively evaluated data on patients with a minimum follow-up of 1 year with the use of the VAS for pain, Mayo Elbow Performance Score and DASH score. In addition, CT segmentation was used to measure bone tunnel volume.
Pieter Caekebeke
Results showed all patients had symmetric elbow mobility and arm and forearm circumference. The PLLA group had a pain VAS of 0.2 vs. 0.7 for the PEEK group, according to results. Researchers found a higher DASH score in the PLLA group (5.4 vs. 3.1), as well as a higher Mayo Elbow Performance Score vs. the PEEK group (98.7 vs. 95.9). According to results, the PLLA group had bone tunnel enlargement of 43%, while bone tunnel enlargement was 38% in the PEEK group. – by Casey Tingle
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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