Load Sharing Rip-Stop Rotator Cuff Repair Demonstration

In his new book, “The Cowboy’s Companion – A Trail Guide for the Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgeon”, Stephen Burkhart, M.D., describes a unique approach for challenging rotator cuff repairs that include either poor tendon quality or a short medial tendon stump using FiberTape® and SwiveLocks® for reinforcement. FiberTape is #2 FiberWire with a 2 mm wide overbraid that has been shown to have 30% higher resistance to pulling through tendon than standard #2 suture and can be used to augment a single row repair using Corkscrew FT Suture Anchors. One or two FiberTapes are used to create the rip-stop. The FiberTapes are secured laterally with knotless SwiveLock Anchors in a modified SpeedFix repair – that not only reinforces the medial stitches, but also shares the load carried by the simple sutures.