Reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament using Ligament Advanced Reinforcement System: its biocompatibility and bone healing
10.3969/j.issn.2095-4344.2017.16.018
- VernacularTitle:LARS人工韧带重建前交叉韧带:生物相容性及与骨组织的愈合
- Author:
Xinyuan ZHAI
;
Xiaofeng LIN
- From:
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research
2017;21(16):2565-2569
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Ligament Advanced Reinforcement Sytstm (LARS) artificial ligament can avoid the interfibrillar friction compared wiht traditional ligaments, which is conductive for autogenous tissue growth. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the biocompatibility of LARS artificial ligament used for cruciate ligament reconstruction and bone healing. METHODS: Twenty goats were randomly divided into two groups: the anterior cruciate ligament insertion at the femur was cut as stump group; the anterior cruciate ligament insertions at the femur and tibia, and all the ligaments and synovial tissues between them were cut as stump resection group. LARS artificial ligament was then implanted into both two groups. At 20 months after implantation, the ligament healing was observed using CT and MRI examinations, the fibrous tissues were observed under scanning electron microscope, and the growth of newborn ligaments was observed by histological staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: CT findings showed that in the stump group, the number of femoral tunnel enlargement was significantly more than that in the stump resection group (P < 0.05), while the number of tibial tunnel enlargement in the stump group was significantly less than that in the stump resection group (P < 0.05). LARS artificial ligament in the femoral and tibial tunnel and free part of the joint presented with hypointensity on T1- and T2-weighted images, which showed no significant difference between two groups. Under the scanning electron microscope there were obvious dense fibrous tissues between LARS artificial ligaments in both two groups; and the autologous fibrous tissues arranged closely and evenly under high magnification. Hematoxylin-eosin staining results showed that in the two groups, the LARS artificial ligaments in the free part of the articular cavity and bone tunnel were surrounded by a large number of autologous tissues in a fusiform arrangement; autologous fibrous tissues and artificial ligament were wrapped well but arranged irregularly; mature fibrous tissues and few capillary infiltration were found in the bone tunnel and free part of the joint cavity, but without necrotic tissues. Masson staining results showed that the inner and outer parts of the LARS in the bone tunnel were wrapped by blue collagen, the red-stained bones located outside the collagen, and no obvious transitional zone appeared. These results showed that the LARS artificial ligament holds good biocompatibility and fibrous tissue induction, which can promote bone healing.