Comparison of the Fixation Strength of PEEK Knotless Suture Anchors for Rotator Cuff Repair

INTRODUCTION Rotator cuff injuries are common, with approximately 400,000 cuff repairs performed each year in the United States alone. Surgical repair of torn cuff tendons involves reattachment of the torn end of the tendon to the original footprint on the proximal humerus, typically using suture anchors. In recent years, suture anchors have evolved into knotless systems, which are designed to facilitate arthroscopic cuff repair through enhanced suture management and the ability to achieve fixation without the need to tie knots. While the repair procedure has been simplified by these novel anchor designs, cuff repairs still exhibit a high incidence of inadequate healing and formation of gaps at the repair site, and healing of the cuff tendons to bone remains to be a significant clinical challenge. One crucial aspect to promoting healing is minimizing gap formation that may occur due to suture slippage with knotless anchor designs or anchor loosening, and therefore it is important to understand the cyclic performance of the suture anchors used for the repair. The objective of this study was to compare the fixation strength of different knotless suture anchor designs under cyclic loading, as well as the ultimate fixation strength.