Autograft Long Head Biceps Tendon Can Be Used as a Scaffold for Biologically Augmenting Rotator Cuff Repairs.

Early human evidence such as case series or small samples is exploring possible benefits.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Purpose We create a viable, mechanically expanded autograft long head biceps tendon (LHBT) scaffold for biologically augmenting the repair of torn rotator cuffs. Methods The proximal aspect of the tenotomized LHBTs was harvested from patients during rotator cuff repair surgery and was mechanically formed into porous scaffolds using a surgical graft expander. LHBT scaffolds were evaluated for change in area, tensile properties, and tenocyte viability before and after expansion. The ability of endogenous tenocytes derived from the LHBT scaffold to promote tenogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ADMSCs) was also determined. Results Autograft LHBTs were successfully expanded using a modified surgical graft expander to create a porous scaffold containing viable resident tenoctyes from patients undergoing rotator cuff repair. LHBT scaffolds had significantly increased area (length: 24.91 mm [13.91, 35.90] × width: 22.69 mm [1.87, 34.50]; P = .011) compared with the native LHBT tendon (length: 27.16 mm [2.70, 33.62] × width: 6.68 mm [5.62, 7.74]). The structural properties of the autograft were altered, including the ultimate tensile strength (LHBT scaffold: .56 MPa [.06, 1.06] vs. native LHBT: 2.35 MPa [1.36, 3.33]; P = .002) and tensile modulus (LHBT scaffold: 4.72 MPa [-.80, 1.24] versus native LHBT: 37.17 MPa [24.56, 49.78]; P = .001). There w

Evidence level

Early human evidence such as case series or small samples is exploring possible benefits.

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