title: Compact platelet-rich fibrin scaffold to improve healing of patellar tendon defects and for medial collateral ligament reconstruction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Platelets are one of the most biocompatible and cost-effective sources of growth factors. Attention is being paid to autologous platelets and platelet-rich plasma. We developed a novel compact platelet-rich fibrin scaffold (CPFS) that was produced from blood and calcium gluconate only. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of CPFS as a provisional scaffold in two rabbit models.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the first rabbit model, the central half of the patellar tendon was resected bilaterally. Allogenic CPFS was attached to the defect in the right knee, while the left knee was untreated. In the other model, the medial collateral ligament was removed bilaterally. The ligament of the right knee was reconstructed with allogenic CPFS, whereas the left knee was untreated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 12weeks, the ultimate failure load and stiffness were higher for the right patellar tendon than for the left patellar tendon in the former model. It was found that CPFS promoted ligament repair tissue in contrast with that on the untreated side in the latter model. The ultimate failure load of the CPFS repair tissue at 20weeks was 78% of that in healthy controls of the same age.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CPFS enhanced the healing of tendons and ligaments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CPFS has the potential to accelerate healing of tendons and ligaments as a provisional bioscaffold or a material for graft augmentation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nagano Matsushiro General Hospital, 183 Matsushiro, Nagano 381-1231 Japan. Electronic address: dmatsunaga@hosp.nagano-matsushiro.or.jp.
authors.forename: Daigo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.forename: Shaw
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akizuki
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takizawa
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Omae
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kato
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D017885:Collateral Ligaments / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005337:Fibrin; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D053657:Platelet-Rich Plasma; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D013718:Tensile Strength; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005337:Fibrin
keywords: Fibrin; Ligament reconstruction; Platelet; Provisional scaffold; Tendon repair