Mechanical properties of vascularized patellar tendon graft / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:The clinical study on the mechanical properties of biomaterials for cruciate ligament reconstruction is of great importance, which can provide a theoretical basis for the clinical development of materials with good structure, biomechanics and compatibility. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the mechanical properties of vascularized patelar tendon graft. METHODS:The anterior cruciate ligaments of the left foreleg from 42 New Zealand white rabbits were cut off. Then, these rabbits were randomly and evenly divided into two groups experimental group and control group. Rabbits in the experimental group were implanted vascularized patelar tendon graft for anterior cruciate ligament repair. Rabbits in the control group were implanted with autologous non-vascularized patelar tendon graft for anterior cruciate ligament repair. At the 8th, 12th and 16th weeks after implantation, biomechanical properties of specimens from these two groups were detected. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference on the fracture location at different time points between these two groups; at the 12th and 16th weeks after transplantation, the knee laxity in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). At the 8th week after transplantation, there was no significant difference in the knee laxity between these two groups. At the 8th, 12thand 16th weeks after transplantation, the maximum load in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). At the 8th, 12th and 16th weeks after transplantation, the stiffness in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the maximum tensile elongation between these two groups at different time points after transplantation. These results demonstrate that vascularized patelar tendon graft has good mechanical properties.