FAN-FOLDED FASCIA LATA FOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT SUBSTITUTION AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING THE SAME

摘要

Cruciate ligament substitutes are formed using fan-folded fascia lata grafts. Devices of making the same and methods of making and using the same are described herein. The fan-folded fascia lata cruciate ligament substitutes disclosed herein are used in a single-loop fashion and have surprisingly exhibited load to failure and stiffness values that compare favorably with conventional grafts, including tibialis anterior, tibialis posterior, peroneus longus, and bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) half-patella specimens. It has been demonstrated that single-loop, fan-folded fascia lata sheets can exhibit mechanical properties that compare favorably with existing cruciate ligament grafts. An apparatus for handling a fascia lata sheet can include a first and a second removable anchoring member. A method of producing a cruciate ligament substitute can include providing a fascia lata sheet secured in a fan-folded orientation with at least one removable anchoring member, and securing the fan-folded fascia lata in a fan- folded orientation with at least one permanent anchoring member.