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J Knee Surg 2009; 22(1): 82-92
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1247730
Special Focus Section

© 2009 Thieme Medical Publishers

Design and Characterization of a Scaffold for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Engineering

Rebecca L. Horan1 , Ivan Toponarski1 , Heather E. Boepple1 , Paul P. Weitzel2 , John C. Richmond3 , Gregory H. Altman1
  • 1Serica Technologies, Inc, Medford, Boston, Mass
  • 2Boston Sports and Shoulder, Chestnut Hill, Boston, Mass
  • 3The New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, Mass
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Publication History

Publication Date:
14 January 2010 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Advances in biomedical engineering have led to an understanding of the human body's capacity for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) healing if provided the correct impetus—a long-term bioresorbable scaffold that anticipates the defect site's requirements. Tissue engineering an ACL requires a scaffold that can meet multiple and often conflicting mechanical and biological design requirements. The design and characterization of a hydrophilic silk scaffold is presented as an example of the preclinical testing required to fully characterize a scaffold for ACL reconstruction. We hypothesize that by providing a structural scaffold which anticipates ACL repair mechanisms, an “engineered” autologous ligament with excellent functional integrity can be developed by the body itself. Mechanical, biological, and patient-clinician testing demonstrate that the hydrophilic silk scaffold is a mechanically robust, biocompatible, long-term bioresorbable ACL scaffold with demonstrated safety that can be implanted in accordance with standard surgical procedures.

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