ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effect of deproteinated bone(DPB)-bone morphogenetic protein(BMP) complex on bone tunnel enlargement after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in rabbits.Methods A total of 96 adult New Zealand white rabbits were used in this study,and divided into 4 groups.In each group,we reconstructed the anterior cruciate ligaments of the animals using semitendinosus autograft.After the operation,DPB-BMP complex,DPB,or BMP was implanted into the femoral bone tunnel of the rabbits in three of the 4 groups.Another group that received neither DPB nor BMP served as a control.In 4,8,12,or 16 weeks after the implantation(6 rabbits in each group at each time point),we killed the animals to obtain the specimens of the femoral bone tunnel.Then the width of the tunnel was measured,and the percentage of its enlargement was calculated.Results In the DPB+BMP,DPB,BMP,and control groups,the bone tunnel was enlarged by(23.52?0.43)%,(34.83?0.52)%,(51.57?0.76)%,and(56.90?0.81)% in 4 weeks,(22.21?0.34)%,(35.35?0.46)%,(60.97?0.63)%,and(67.18?0.70)% in 8 weeks,(21.94?0.37)%,(33.01?0.41)%,(50.56?0.54)%,and(54.61?0.55)% in 12 weeks,and(20.96?0.35)%,(32.11?0.50)%,(49.29?0.66)%,and(53.31?0.59)% in 16 weeks,respectively.The rates of bone tunnel enlargement in the DPB+BMP group was the lowest at each time point(DPB+BMP group