Two ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction methods: the docking technique versus bioabsorbable interference screw fixation--a biomechanical evaluation with cyclic loading.

We compared the effects of cyclic valgus loading on 2 techniques for reconstruction of the elbow ulnar collateral ligament (UCL): the docking procedure and the bioabsorbable interference screw procedure. A cyclic valgus load was applied to the 16 unembalmed elbows, and the valgus angle was measured at 1, 10, 100, and 1000 cycles. Testing was repeated after UCL palmaris tendon reconstruction via either the docking technique or bioabsorbable interference screw fixation. At cycle 1, the valgus angle was not different between treated and intact cases. At cycles 10 and 100, the valgus angle for the docking technique was significantly greater than that for both the intact cases and the interference screw technique. By the 1000th cycle, no difference was measured between the 2 techniques. In this study, bioabsorbable interference screw fixation resulted in less valgus angle widening in response to early cyclic valgus load as compared with the docking technique.