Solvent-dried and gamma-irradiated tendon allografts in rats. Mechanical and morphological evaluation.
We examined solvent-dried, gamma-irradiated (SD-R) allografts and fresh-frozen (FF) allografts mechanically and morphologically. Before transplantation, FF grafts were more than six times stronger than SD-R grafts. After four weeks, the tensile strength was about the same in both groups. At 24 weeks only collagen fibrils of small diameter were observed in the SD-R grafts while in FF grafts fibrils of small and intermediate diameter were seen. Clinically, we suggest that SD-R grafts could be used as a favourable alternative to FF grafts if care was taken regarding their initial mechanical weakness.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka University Medical School, Suita, Japan.
A
A
Maeda
S
S
Horibe
N
N
Matsumoto
N
N
Nakamura
T
T
Mae
K
K
Shino
D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003094:Collagen / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015925:Cryopreservation; D003890:Desiccation; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005720:Gamma Rays; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012997:Solvents; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014021:Tissue Preservation; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D012997:Solvents; D003094:Collagen