Histological study of fresh versus frozen semitendinous muscle tendon allografts.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to histologically analyze allografts from cadaveric semitendinous muscle after cryopreservation at -80 degrees C in comparison to a control group kept at only -4 degrees C to test the hypothesis that the histological characteristics of the tissue are maintained when the tendons are kept at lower temperatures.


METHODS
In a tissue bank, 10 semitendinous tendons from 10 cadavers were frozen at -80 degress C as a storage method for tissue preservation. They were kept frozen for 40 days, and then a histological study was carried out. Another 10 tendon samples were analyzed while still "fresh".


RESULTS
There was no histological difference between the fresh and frozen samples in relation to seven variables.


CONCLUSIONS
Semitendinous muscle tendon allografts can be submitted to cryopreservation at -80 degrees C without suffering histological modifications.
Bitar
Alexandre Carneiro
AC
Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo - São Paulo/SP, Brazil.
Santos
Luiz Augusto Ubirajara
LA
Croci
Alberto Tesconi
AT
Pereira
João Alberto Ramos Maradei
JA
França Bisneto
Edgard N
EN
Giovani
Arlete Mazzini Miranda
AM
Oliveira
Claudia Regina G C M
CR
D000328:Adult; D015925:Cryopreservation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000166:cytology*; D013710:Tendons / Q000166:cytology*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous