Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament in the dog. Comparison of results obtained with three different porous synthetic materials.

The anterior cruciate ligaments in 17 knees of 12 mongrel dogs were replaced with one of three porous minimally reactive prosthetic (synthetic) materials. The results show that while the porous materials support the ingrowth of fibrous tissue from the bone of the dog's knee, fatigue failure occurred before sufficient fibrous tissue was incorporated to reconstitute a functional ligament. Further laboratory investigation is necessary before prosthetic materials, currently available, can be used in the unstable human knee.