Presoaking of Semitendinosus Graft With Vancomycin Does Not Alter Its Biomechanical Properties: A Biomechanical In Vitro-Controlled Study Using Graft From Living Donors.

PURPOSE

To compare the biomechanical properties of human semitendinosus graft presoaked with or without vancomycin under a load to failure tensile test.

METHODS

Thirty semitendinosus grafts harvested during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction were included. These were dissected equally into 2 halves and subsequently randomly allocated to a vancomycin group and to a control group. A digital caliper was used to precisely measure each samples thickness, length, and width. For the vancomycin group, samples were presoaked in a solution of 5 mg/mL vancomycin for a duration of 10 minutes and the control group samples were presoaked in a physiological serum equally for 10 minutes. Mechanical testing was performed on a universal testing machine (Instron 5566-A) after a preconditioning of 10 cycles of 1 mm extension and a progression of 10 mm/min to failure for each sample. The stress-strain curve was obtained to determine the elastic modulus (Young's modulus), the ultimate tensile stress, the ultimate tensile elongation (UTE) before failure and the elasticity limit.

RESULTS

For the control group, the average Young's modulus value was 4.8 ± 0.8, the average UTS was 25.2 ± 5.2 MPa, the average percentage of UTE was 78 ± 17%, and the average elasticity limit value was 17.3 ± 5.3 MPa. For the vancomycin group, the average Young's modulus value was 4.7 ± 0.9, the average ultimate tensile stress was 24.1 ± 6.1 MPa, the average percentage of UTE was 82 ± 14%, and the average elasticity limit value was 18.5 ± 5.9 MPa. No significant difference was observed between the 2 groups for all investigated parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

Presoaking of human semitendinosus graft with vancomycin does not alter its biomechanical properties.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

This study demonstrates that vancomycin presoaking used to prevent post-anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction septic arthritis does not affect immediate biomechanical properties of semitendinosus tendons.