PO(2) MEASUREMENT IN AN EXPERIMENTAL-MODEL OF PATELLAR TENDON AUTOGRAFT PRO-ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT

Thirty-four sheep were submitted to surgery substituting the native AC L with the central third of the patellar tendon, ten enter this study The purpose was to find a possible relationship between tissue pO(2) a nd healing processes considering also the biomechanical and histomorph ological aspects of the grafts. Four of them were sacrificed under gen eral anaesthesia after 6 months, and six after 1 year in order to perf orm tissue pO(2) measurement and an analysis of microvessel density on specimens of the normal ACL and the graft. Our data showed higher pO( 2) values of the autografts after 6 months. After I year the data was comparable to those of native ACL. This was confirmed by a microvessel count of the histological specimens and the data was in relationship to biomechanical and histomorphological analysis. Tissue pO(2) can be observed and recorded in ''in vivo'' ACL, and patellar tendon used as graft, with no injury to their integrity. The monitoring system might be considered as an experimental tool for indirect controls of the ant erior cruciate substitutes.