Abstract
BACKGROUND: The employment of suture tape augmentation (SA) in surgical interventions for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures is a subject of ongoing debate. This meta-analysis synthesizes prior research to assess the effectiveness of additional SA in treating ACL tears. METHODS: A total of four databases including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched up to September 2024. Literature screening, quality evaluation, and data extraction were performed according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Key data extracted include: Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale, International Knee Documentation Committee Score (IKDC), self-assessment numerical evaluation (SANE), Tegner Activity Score, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12), Marx Activity Scale, visual analog scale (VAS), KT-1000 anteroposterior knee laxity, and return to sports rate. Meta-analysis of outcome indicators was performed using Revman 5.4 software. RESULTS: A total of 17 articles were included in this meta-analysis. Pre-post operation effect analysis showed that additional SA was correlated with improved IKDC, Marx Activity Scale, KOOS, VR-12 physical, and VAS for pain. In addition, there were statistically significant differences in SANE (mean difference, MD = 3.26, 95% confidence intervals, 95%CI 0.77, 5.76, P = 0.01, I(2) = 13%) and VAS for pain (MD = -0.17, 95%CI -0.32, -0.02, P = 0.02, I(2) = 0%) in the group using the SA technique compared with the traditional surgery group without SA. However, in terms of KT-1000 anteroposterior knee laxity, the traditional surgery group without SA was better than the group with SA (MD = 0.31, 95%CI 0.03, 0.59, P = 0.03, I(2) = 0%). CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of current evidence, we do not believe that, compared with isolated traditional surgical methods, additional SA can significantly improve patients' functional scores and help patients heal.