title: The effect of intra-articular autogenous bone marrow injection on healing of an acute posterior cruciate ligament injury in rabbits.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose was to identify the effect of intra-articular autogenous bone marrow injection on the healing of an acute posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) rupture in a rabbit model. The effect of autogenous bone marrow on the healing process was assessed serially by gross inspection, histologic examination, and immunohistochemical study of growth factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  In both knee joints, the PCL was completely transected surgically near the femoral attachment site in 24 rabbits. Autogenous bone marrow was obtained from both tibias and delivered only to the right knee joint by direct intra-articular injection. Gross inspection, histologic examination, and immunohistochemical study of growth factors were performed at 8, 12, and 16 weeks after severing of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) among 8 randomly chosen specimens. The degree of healing in both marrow-stimulated and untreated control ligaments was evaluated by gross inspection using an ordinal scale consisting of 5 grades. The degree of fibroblast and vessel proliferation and alignment of collagen fibers were evaluated by histologic examination. The degree of expression of transforming growth factor β1, epidermal growth factor receptor, and vascular endothelial growth factor was evaluated by immunohistochemical study. Statistical analysis was performed with the Mann-Whitney U test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the group with marrow-stimulated ligaments, the degree of healing was higher at 8 and 12 weeks by gross examination, whereas there was no significant difference at 16 weeks between the 2 groups. According to histologic examination, the healing process was faster in the bone marrow injection group than in the control group at 8 and 12 weeks because the degree of fibroblast and vessel proliferation significantly declined and collagen fibers were arranged more regularly compared with the control group. Similar to the results of histologic examination, the results of immunohistochemical studies showed that the healing process was faster in the bone marrow injection group. However, the recovery of the PCL was completed at 16 weeks after PCL resection in both the bone marrow injection group and the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intra-articular autogenous bone marrow injection appeared to promote the initiation of healing response in acutely injured PCLs in rabbits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intra-articular autogenous bone marrow injection can be a viable option for treating acutely injured PCLs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, KangBuk Samsung Hospital, SungKyunKwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Eugene
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hwa Jae
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Se-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Dong-Hoon
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young-Bok
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Sang Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yun-Suk
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jong-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Kyubo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jin-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Seoung Wan
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Hun-Kyu
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D016119:Posterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000098:blood supply / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011817:Rabbits; D012421:Rupture / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000379:methods; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen