DEVELOPMENT OF FIBROBLAST-SEEDED LIGAMENT ANALOGS FOR ACL RECONSTRUCTION

We fabricated ''ligament analogs'' in vitro by seeding high-strength r esorbable collagen fiber scaffolds with intraarticular (anterior cruci ate ligament, ACL) or extraarticular (patellar tendon, PT) rabbit fibr oblasts. Fibroblasts attached, proliferated, and secreted new collagen on the ligament analogs in vitro. Fibroblast function depended on the tissue culture substrate (ligament analog vs. tissue culture plate) a nd the origin of the fibroblasts (ACL vs. PT). PT fibroblasts prolifer ated more rapidly than ACL fibroblasts when cultured on ligament analo gs. Collagen synthesis by ACL and PT fibroblasts was approximately ten fold greater on ligament analogs than on tissue culture plates. The co mposition, structure, and geometry of the collagen fiber scaffolds may promote collagen synthesis within ligament analogs in vitro. Ligament analogs roughly approximate the structure and strength of native liga ment tissue. Ongoing in vivo studies suggest that autogenous fibroblas t-seeded ligament analogs remain viable after implantation into the kn ee joint. With further development, ligament analogs may be useful as implants for ACL reconstruction surgery. (C) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, I nc.