| Knee instability associated with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) disruption can lead to progressive joint deterioration if left untreated. The current "gold standard" in surgical treatment involves the use of autologous tissue, such as the patellar tendon. Although well tolerated by the host, these grafts have high incidences of surgical complications and do not provide adequate long-term performance.;A decellularized bone-ACL-bone allograft may provide a long-term ligament replacement by matching the complex structure and function of the original ligament exactly. Potentially immunogenic cellular material is removed through a series of detergent washes. Following decellularization, the ligament is reseeded with autologous cells from the host to prevent destructive graft remodelling after implantation. This study assesses the effectiveness of reintroducing primary ACL fibroblasts into decellularized ACL tissue.;The results of this study suggest that the use of SDS decellularization in the development of a decellularized ACL allograft is not advantageous. Both the Triton-X and TnBP decellularization treatments provide suitable, naturally derived scaffolds for the ingrowth of primary ACL fibroblasts and should be further investigated in the development of an allograft-derived bone-ACL-bone graft. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
