SPOT aims at showing a reduction in anterior knee laxity after fixing ACL grafts by pins compared to screws.Īnterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture belongs to the most common musculoskeletal injuries in the western world. Secondary outcomes (generic and disease-specific measures of quality of life, magnetic resonance imaging morphology of transplants and devices) will be handled in an exploratory fashion. A sample size of 54 patients will yield a power of 80% to detect a difference of 1.0 mm ± standard deviation 1.2 mm at a two-sided alpha of 5% with a t-test for independent samples. The primary outcome is the side-to-side (repaired to healthy knee) difference in anterior translation as measured by the KT-1000 arthrometer at a defined load (89 N) six months after surgery. Patients and clinical investigators will remain blinded to the assigned fixation method until the six-month follow-up examination. No other changes apply to locally established treatment protocols. Intraoperatively, subjects willing to engage in this study will be randomised to transplant tethering with either resorbable screws or resorbable pins. Eligible patients are scheduled to arthroscopic ACL repair with triple-stranded hamstring grafts, conducted by a single, experienced surgeon. SPOT is a randomised, controlled, patient and investigator blinded trial conducted at a single academic institution. The objective of this study is to determine whether pinning of ACL grafts reduces residual anterior laxity six months after surgery as compared to screw fixation.

Whereas resorbable screws are easy to handle, pins may better preserve graft tension.

This might at least in part depend on the method of graft fixation in the bony tunnels.

Persisting anterior laxity may lead to recurrent episodes of giving-way and cartilage damage. Arthroscopic ACL replacement by autologous tendon grafts has established itself as a standard of care.ĭata from both experimental and observational studies suggest that surgical reconstruction does not fully restore knee stability. Ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are common injuries to the knee joint.

Mitek generic repairs