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The effect of in situ freezing on rabbit patellar tendon

A histologic, biochemical, and biomechanical analysis

Section of Sports Medicine, Division of Orthopedic Surgery

Keith Fujisaki, MD

University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado

Ray Vanderby, JR, PhD

Section of Sports Medicine, Division of Orthopedic Surgery

Arthur C. Vailas, PhD

Biodynamics Laboratory, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin

Cell necrosis has been well documented as one of the many changes that occur in autogenous tendon when it is used to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament. The purpose of this experiment was to isolate cell necrosis as a variable and study its effect on the patellar tendon. To accomplish this, both knees of 25 New Zealand White rabbits were operated on. In one knee, a 5-mm wide band of patellar tendon was subjected to two rapid freeze-thaw cycles, while the other knee underwent sham surgery. Histologic evaluation showed a zone of necrosis at 2 and 4 weeks with cellular repopulation complete at 8 weeks. Patellar tendon cross-sectional area was 0.118 cm² at 8 weeks for the frozen specimens compared to 0.102 cm² for the sham- operated controls. This difference was significant at the P = 0.025 level. Mechanical testing at 4 and 8 weeks revealed no significant changes in tendon length, max imum load, or stiffness. The collagen content was also unchanged at both 4 and 8 weeks.

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