Collagen-platelet composite enhances biomechanical and histologic healing of the porcine anterior cruciate ligament.
BACKGROUND
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) fails to heal after traumatic rupture. Furthermore, large-animal models have recently shown that 1-month functional ACL healing is augmented after suture repair when a bioactive scaffold is placed in the tear site.


OBJECTIVE
At the time of suture repair, placement of a bioactive scaffold in the ACL wound site would improve the structural properties of the tissue.


METHODS
Controlled laboratory study.


METHODS
Twenty-seven knees in immature pigs underwent ACL transection and suture repair. A collagen-platelet composite (CPC) was used to supplement the repair in 14 knees. Knees were harvested at 4 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 months. Mechanical testing and histologic analysis were performed.


RESULTS
The addition of a CPC to a suture repair resulted in improvements in yield load and linear stiffness of the repair tissue at 3 months, as well as a significant increase in cell density. A reduction in yield load and stiffness occurred at the 6-week time point in both groups, a phase when revascularization was noted.


CONCLUSIONS
The addition of a CPC to a suture repair enhanced the structural properties of the ACL, and the improvement was associated with increased cellularity within the healing ligament.


CONCLUSIONS
The addition of a bioactive scaffold to the wound site improved the functional healing of the ACL after suture repair. The decreased repair strength during revascularization may indicate a need to protect the repair site through this period.
Joshi
Shilpa M
SM
Department of, Orthopaedic Surgery, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Mastrangelo
Ashley N
AN
Magarian
Elise M
EM
Fleming
Braden C
BC
Murray
Martha M
MM
D000818:Animals; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery* / Q000637:transplantation; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001792:Blood Platelets; D003094:Collagen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023421:Models, Animal; D017713:Platelet Transfusion; D011897:Random Allocation; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000601:surgery; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
D003094:Collagen