Non-metallic implants effective in fixing subcutaneous bone in patellar fractures, reveals research

Technique:

• The patient is fully extended in a supine position.
• Anterior midline standard procedure is used.
• Cerclage wire is substituted with non-absorbable suture tapes after the fracture fragments have been reduced and secured with K-wires.
• The tapes are passed through the soft tissue several times, forming loops that are subsequently tensioned to compress the fracture pieces.
• Using extra suture tapes, a tension band fixation is created to finish the procedure.

Reduced operational time, less soft-tissue dissection, and a decreased chance of implant prominence and discomfort are just a few advantages of this approach that were expected. Due to the suture tape's exceptional tensile strength and little tissue reactivity, problems and the need for additional procedures are decreased. Early findings from two instances indicate union established at 3 months without problems, with patients recovering full range of motion.

Overall, this study provides evidence that non-metallic implants can be used to treat patella fractures. This technique yields encouraging outcomes that points to a possible change in fracture fixing techniques. More dedicated investigations and bigger cohort studies are required to confirm these results.

Source:

Tee, W. J., Yeo, K. S. A., Chua, D. T. C., & Moo, I. H. (2024). Novel technique for comminuted patellar fixation using suture tape in spiderweb configuration. In Frontiers in Surgery (Vol. 11). Frontiers Media SA. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsurg.2024.1377921