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Biological Science

Ortho Max proudly distributes the full line of Artelon tendon and ligament restoration systems for the State of Florida. Contact your local Artelon sales representative . . .

FLEXIBLE HEALING

Injury and Early Healing

Healing ruptured tendons and ligaments will undergo a significant period of weakness. With the return of activity, these weakened tissues often become stretched or fail entirely. Therefore, it is common for surgeons to reinforce the reconstruction with one of three types of material:

Autograft: Tissue taken from another part of your own body

Allograft, Xenograft: Tissue acquired from deceased donors or other animal species

Synthetic: Scientifically engineered materials that substitute for the body’s own tissues

The Impact of Reinforcement Choice:

Our daily activities require STRONG and ELASTIC tendons and ligaments that most reinforcements cannot provide. After reconstruction, reinforcement graft materials are rapidly broken down, and lose 50-90% of their strength within the first six weeks.(1,2) These are also much stiffer than native tendons and ligaments which leads to altered motion at the healing site. These compromises in natural motion of a joint can have profound negative effects on long-term motion, joint surfaces, and tissue healing.

Alternatively, Artelon’s innovations in Dynamic Matrix technology protect the repair AND natural motion throughout the healing process.

Human ACL @ 33 months

Connective tissue (black arrows) intimately integrated within the Artelon matrix (red arrows)

Matrix Porosity

50% pore distribution is 21-100µm and suitable for fibroblasts 20% pore distribution is 100-400µm and suitable for osteoblasts

Human ACL @ 39 months

Degradation of Artelon matrix (black arrows) and intimate integration of connective tissue (blue)

Human ACL @ 61 months

Late stage degradation of Artelon matrix (black arrows)

Human ACL @ 33 Months

Stained for Type-1 collagen (brown) within the Artelon matrix

Mechanical Resilience @ 6 weeks

  1. 1. Weiler, A. et al, Biomechanical Properties and vascularity of an anterior cruciate ligament graft can be predicted by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. A two year study of sheep. Am JSports Med 2001, 26(6): 751-761.
  2. Steinmann et al. Rotator cuff repair using an acellular dermal matrix graft: an in vivo study in a canine model. Arthroscopy, 2006 Jul;22(7):700-9.

Contact your local Artelon sales representative