title: Inducement of tissue regeneration of harvested hamstring tendons in a rabbit model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to determine if the use of fascia lata as a tendon regeneration guide (placed into the tendon canal following harvesting the semitendinosus tendon) would improve the incidence of tissue regeneration and prevent fatty degeneration of the semitendinosus muscle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bilateral semitendinosus tendons were harvested from rabbits using a tendon stripper. On the inducing graft (IG) side, the tendon canal and semitendinosus tibial attachment site were connected by the fascia lata, which was harvested at the same width as the semitendinosus tendon. On the control side, no special procedures were performed. Two groups of six rabbits were killed at post-operative weeks 4 and 8, respectively. In addition, three healthy rabbits were killed to obtain normal tissue. We evaluated the incidence of tendon tissue regeneration, cross-sectional area of the regenerated tendon tissue and proportion of fatty tissue in the semitendinosus muscle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At post-operative week 8, the distal end of the regenerated tissue reached the vicinity of the tibial insertion on the control side in two of six specimens. On the IG side, the regenerated tissue maintained continuity with the tibial insertion in all specimens. The cross-sectional area of the IG side was significantly greater than that of the control side. The proportion of fatty tissue in the semitendinosus muscle on the IG side was comparable with that of the control side, but was significantly greater than that of the normal muscle.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tendon tissue regenerated with the fascia lata graft was thicker than naturally occurring regenerated tissue. However, the proportion of fatty tissue in the semitendinosus muscle was greater than that of normal muscle.Cite this article: K. Tabuchi, T. Soejima, H. Murakami, K. Noguchi, N. Shiba, K. Nagata. Inducement of tissue regeneration of harvested hamstring tendons in a rabbit model. Bone Joint Res 2016;5:247-252. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.56.2000585.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kurume University Medical Center, Kokubu-machi 155-1, Kurume 839-0863, Japan bygolikeo@me.com.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tabuchi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Sports Science, Kurume University, Mii-machi 1635, Kurume 839-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Soejima
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Clinic, Murakami Hospital, Uo-machi 12-5, Tagawa 825-0014, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kurume University Medical Center, Kokubu-machi 155-1, Kurume 839-0863, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kurume University, Asahi-machi 67, Kurume 830-0011, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shiba
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kurume University, Asahi-machi 67, Kurume 830-0011, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagata
keywords: Inducing graft; Rabbit; Semitendinosus tendon; Tendon regeneration