The Addition of Suture Tape to the Hamstring Graft Construct Does Not Reduce Instrumented Knee Laxity Following ACL Reconstruction

PURPOSE: To establish the effect of the addition of suture tape to the hamstring graft construct through measurement of instrumented sagittal plane knee laxity at 6 months after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was undertaken of a consecutive series of primary ACLR performed between May 2017 and June 2019. Patients with concomitant or historic contralateral knee injury were excluded. Suture tape was included in the graft construct from the midpoint of the study period (May 2018). Sagittal plane knee laxity was quantified using the KT2000 arthrometer at 6 postoperative months. Mean side-to-side differences in sagittal plane laxity between the operated and contralateral, uninjured knees were compared for grafts with and without suture tape. Additional outcomes included comparison between suture tape application techniques (graft reinforcement versus augmentation), comparison between suture tape with and without iliotibial band (ITB) tenodesis and documentation of complications necessitating further surgery. RESULTS: A total of 169 patients were eligible for inclusion. Seventy-two grafts included suture tape and 84 patients underwent concomitant ITB tenodesis. There was no significant difference in mean laxity between grafts containing suture tape (mean difference: 1.2 mm, SD: 2.6 mm) and those without (mean difference: 1.3 mm, SD: 2.1 mm), P = .83 (CI −.92 to 1.13). Neither were there significant differences in laxity when using suture tape with concomitant ITB tenodesis (mean difference: 1.1 mm, SD: 2.1 mm), P = .75 (CI −.79 to 1.09), or when comparing techniques: graft reinforcement (mean difference .9 mm, SD 2.6 mm); graft augmentation (mean difference: 1.5 mm, SD: 2.5 mm) P = .52 (CI −2.29 to 1.16). There were no complications associated with suture tape. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of suture tape to an autologous hamstring graft construct did not reduce instrumented sagittal knee laxity in the first 6 months after ACL reconstruction. As such, the clinical relevance of its use remains unknown. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective cohort study.