We compared the pullout strength of a suture-based anchor versus a bioabsorbable anchor in the distal fibula and calcaneus and evaluated the relationship between bone mineral density and peak load to failure. Eight paired cadaveric specimens underwent a modified Broström procedure and Achilles tendon reattachment. The fibula and calcaneus in the paired specimens received either a suture-based a...

The success of drug-eluting stents in preventing restenosis has shifted the focus of new stent development toward enhancing long term safety and efficacy of these devices, while simultaneously eliminating the need for indefinite dual antiplatelet therapy. A technical advance fulfilling these aims would hold tremendous potential to reduce morbidity, mortality and economic costs associated with t...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of using a bioabsorbable implant as orthodontic anchorage. The implant under investigation in this study was a miniscrew, 2.0 mm x 8.0 mm, made from poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA; molecular weight: 200,000), a bioabsorbable bone-bonding material. The implants were placed in the mandibles of eight male beagle dogs. After implantation, tract...

Bioabsorbable implants are very frequently used to treat rotator cuff and shoulder labrum injuries. Many researchers have observed small areas of osteolysis after treating pathological conditions of the shoulder using bioabsorbable anchors. Biological and mechanical theories have been put forward to account for the osteolysis caused by these materials. The case of a patient who was simultaneous...

Transcatheter treatment of children with congenital heart disease such as coarctation of the aorta and pulmonary artery stenosis currently involves the use of metal stents. While these provide good short term results, there are long term complications with their use. Children outgrow metal stents, obligating them to future transcatheter dilations and eventual surgical removal. A bioabsorbable s...

Bioabsorbable implants offer an attractive alternative to metallic implants to stabilize small bone fractures in the hand. Self-reinforced bioabsorbable miniplating for metacarpal fractures was studied in bones from cadavers and compared with standard metallic fixation methods. One hundred twelve fresh-frozen metacarpals from humans had three-point bending and torsional loading after transverse...

INTRODUCTION Osteochondritis dessicans (OCD) is a localized condition where a section of articular cartilage and underlying subchondral bone separate from the joint surface. It is important to diagnose unstable OCD early and fix the fragments primarily as the results of any surgical management at late presentations are guarded. Use of bioabsorbable implants for fixing OCD is recent and we repor...

BACKGROUND The potential requirement for hardware removal originally fueled the development of bioabsorbable pins as an alternative to metal screws for fixing osteotomy sites in foot surgery. More recently, the concern regarding the adverse effects of metal implants may provide further grounds for using bioabsorbable rather than metal fixation. METHODS This is a prospective study of 383 conse...

Few complications regarding the use of bioabsorbable suture anchors in the shoulder have been reported. What motivated this case report was the unusual location of the anchor, found in the acromioclavicular joint which, to our knowledge, has never been reported so far. A 53-year old male with previous rotator cuff (RC) repair using bioabsorbable suture anchors presented with pain and weakness a...