The Use of Carbon Fibers in Ligament Repair: Mechanical and Biological Properties

Carbon fibers are a potential, powerful tool that may become useful in ligament repairs, particularly after acute injuries. A clinical investigation underway at LSU Medical Center, Shreveport, uses carbon fibers coated with gelatin. Carbon fibers' attractive properties include their ability to direct, and possibly stimulate, oriented collagen formation; strength, which provides excellent initial stability; biocompatibility, which excites only a mild inflammatory and giant cell reaction; eventual fragmentation, allowing a new ligament to hypertrophy. Problems include brittleness and special anchorage techniques that must be used to gain adequate stability. A toggle and a bollard to secure fixation is the most satisfactory anchorage system designed to date.