Repair of partial patellar ligament avulsion during total knee arthroplasty using the Statak device

Abstract

The Statak is a suture anchor device used for attaching soft tissue to bone. This is a report on six knees in which this device was used to repair partial avulsion of the patellar ligament during total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The six patients were all women. The average age of the patients was 69 years. The diagnosis was osteoarthritis in three patients, rheumatoid arthritis in two, and steroid arthropathy in one. Three of the operations were revision arthroplasties. In all six cases, approximately half of the patellar ligaments were accidentally detached from the tibial tubercles during surgery, and were repaired using the Statak devices. The average length of follow-up was 3 years. The Knee Society knee score improved from an average of 15 points preoperatively to 87 points at the latest follow-up. The average total range of motion measured 104° before surgery and 108° at the latest follow-up. Three of the six knees operated on had no extensor lag. The suture anchor simplifies the secure fixation of the ligament to bone. The procedure can be performed easily and quickly. In our opinion, the Statak device has proven itself to be effective for the repair of partial patellar ligament avulsion during TKA.