Indications and Limitations of Synthetic Ligament Augmentation Among Foot and Ankle Surgeons and Other Orthopedic Subspecialties

Abstract

Category: Sports; Ankle; Trauma; Other Introduction/Purpose: Ligament augmentation repair (LAR) entails supplementing a ligament repair with synthetic material anchored to bone. Purported advantages include increased stability and a more aggressive rehabilitation. In recent years, the literature supporting LAR has grown rapidly, with published techniques and outcomes for many ligament and tendon repairs, including anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL), Achilles tendon, and the spring ligament complex. Despite the increased use of synthetic ligaments reported in literature, there remains a lack of clarity and consensus on the indications and postoperative rehabilitation protocols. The purpose of this study was to survey an international group of orthopedic specialists regarding their current use of LAR techniques and decision-making. Methods: We invited members of several international orthopaedic and sports medicine societies to participate in this survey between January and June 2021. Responding surgeons represented all six continents, and included 319 sports medicine specialists, 179 foot and ankle specialists, and 96 trauma specialists (some reported more than one fellowship). Survey questions fell into three general categories: 1) Surgeon demographics and training, 2) Current LAR use decision-making within respondents' subspecialty, and 3) Outcomes, complications, frequency, and benefits associated with LAR. Chi-square tests of independence were used to assess the likelihood of any dependent relationships between respondent demographics and LAR use our outcome. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: We collected 515 responses total with a 97% completion rate. 75% of all survey respondents report using LAR for some indication. The most frequent use was ATFL repair (69%, Figure 1). LAR is most commonly implemented for additional stability (72%), poor tissue quality (54%), and more rapid return-to-sport/work (47%). LAR users state the greatest limitation is cost (62%), while non-LAR users state their greatest deterrent to LAR is that it is unnecessary for a good outcome (46%). Foot and ankle fellowship trained surgeons are significantly more likely to use LAR (87% use LAR) compared to sports-trained surgeons (67%, p = 0.002) and surgeons without a fellowship (66% use LAR, p = 0.01). Surgeons treating professional/Olympic athletes are significantly more likely to use LAR. Conclusion: While synthetic ligaments are commonly used to supplement ligament repairs, the application, outcomes, and perceived benefit differ for each subspecialty. The reported limitations of LAR differ between LAR users and non-LAR users. For those who do not use LAR, the greatest limitation is perceived benefit, while for those that do, the greatest limitation is cost. Prospective studies of indications, outcomes and accelerated rehabilitation protocols are needed to further elucidate the value and cost-effectiveness of these implants.