Three-Dimensional Bio-Printed Scaffold Sleeves With Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Enhancement of Tendon-to-Bone Healing in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Soft-Tissue Tendon Graft

Sin Hyung Park, Yeong Jin Choi, Sang Won Moon, Byung Hoon Lee, Jin Hyung Shim, Dong Woo Cho, Joon Ho Wang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

65 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of the insertion of 3-dimensional (3D) bio-printed scaffold sleeves seeded with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to enhance osteointegration between the tendon and tunnel bone in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in a rabbit model. Methods: Scaffold sleeves were fabricated by 3D bio-printing. Before ACL reconstruction, MSCs were seeded into the scaffold sleeves. ACL reconstruction with hamstring tendon was performed on both legs of 15 adult rabbits (aged 12 weeks). We implanted 15 bone tunnels with scaffold sleeves with MSCs and implanted another 15 bone tunnels with scaffold sleeves without MSCs before passing the graft. The specimens were harvested at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. H&E staining, immunohistochemical staining of type II collagen, and micro–computed tomography of the tunnel cross-sectional area were evaluated. Histologic assessment was conducted with a histologic scoring system. Results: In the histologic assessment, a smooth bone-to-tendon transition through broad fibrocartilage formation was identified in the treatment group, and the interface zone showed abundant type II collagen production on immunohistochemical staining. Bone-tendon healing histologic scores were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group at all time points. Micro–computed tomography at 12 weeks showed smaller tibial (control, 9.4 ± 0.9 mm2; treatment, 5.8 ± 2.9 mm2; P =.044) and femoral (control, 9.6 ± 2.9 mm2; treatment, 6.0 ± 1.0 mm2; P =.03) bone-tunnel areas in the treated group than in the control group. Conclusions: The 3D bio-printed scaffold sleeve with MSCs exhibited excellent results in osteointegration enhancement between the tendon and tunnel bone in ACL reconstruction in a rabbit model. Clinical Relevance: If secure biological healing between the tendon graft and tunnel bone can be induced in the early postoperative period, earlier, more successful rehabilitation may be facilitated. Three-dimensional bio-printed scaffold sleeves with MSCs have the potential to accelerate bone-tendon healing in ACL reconstruction.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)166-179
Number of pages14
JournalArthroscopy - Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery
Volume34
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2018
Externally publishedYes

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