Abstract
Background: Growth factors have been shown to improve healing after rotator cuff repair. Bone marrow is a potential vehicle for growth factor augmentation, yet methods of delivering marrow to cuff repair sites are still under-researched. We hypothesized that a cannulated humeral implant would deliver local bone marrow and thereby improve healing in a rat model. Methods: Twenty-eight rats underwent bilateral rotator cuff injury and repair. Each rat acted as its own control, randomized to a cannulated humeral implant in one shoulder and a solid implant in the other. Rats were euthanized at 4 and 8 weeks to create 4 time-treatment cohorts. Tendon healing was evaluated by dimensional measurements, biomechanical testing, and histology. Results: Tendon thickness, all biomechanical measures, and semi-quantitative histologic scores improved over time (P<.05) but not with treatment. The most common site of biomechanical tendon failure was midsubstance in the 8-week cannulated cohort and at the tendon footprint in the other 3 cohorts. Intraluminal bone growth was evident in all cannulated implants. Conclusions: Humeral cannulation did not quantifiably improve tendon-to-bone healing in a rat model. The diminutive size of implants in rats, however, may have prevented sufficient delivery of local autogenous bone marrow; hence, further study in a larger animal is recommended.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1256-1264 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 2013 |
Keywords
- Basic Science Study
- Bone marrow
- Cannulation
- Enthesis
- Molecular and Cell Biology
- Rat
- Repair
- Rotator cuff
- Shoulder
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Surgery
- Orthopedics and Sports Medicine