A Biomechanical Comparison of Suture Anchor Placement on Repair Strength for Type II Superior Labral Anterior Posterior (SLAP) Lesions (SS-34)

Abstract

To evaluate the biomechanical repair strength of two different suture anchor configurations utilized for type II superior labral anterior posterior (SLAP) lesions. Standardized type II SLAP lesions were created in eight match paired cadaveric shoulders using a previously established protocol. Two different suture anchor configurations were used to repair the SLAP lesion. One arrangement (n=8) placed a suture anchor anterior and another posterior to the biceps labral insertion; a second arrangement (n=8) placed two suture anchors posterior to the biceps labral insertion. Specimens were mounted and a posterior directed load was applied to generate displacement of the biceps tendon. The mean load required to displace the biceps labral insertion 2mm was 35.8N after repair of a type II SLAP lesion with a suture anchor placed anterior and one posterior (AP repair). SLAP lesions repaired with two suture anchors placed posterior (PP repair) to the biceps insertion required a mean load of 46.7N to displace the biceps labrum insertion 2mm. When measuring load on the biceps anchor to cause 2mm of displacement, there was no significant difference in repair strength of type II SLAP lesions using the two different suture anchor configurations.