Experimental Study of Tendon Healing in Rabbits

Taek Keun Kwon, Kin Han Cha, Yang Woo Kim

Copyright ⓒ 1994. Ewha Womans University School of Medicine. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Published Online: Sep 30, 1994

Abstract

The exact mechanism by which flexor tendons heal after injury is still not completely clear. Understanding the response of tendon to injury and repair is important to the practicing surgeon who seeks better clinical results. This stuty was intended to determine the course of tendon healing and the gain of tensile strength in the circumstance of normal conditions.

Materials and Methods

Flexor tendons on both lower extermities were divided and repaired with mersilene 4-0 in rabbits and after 2,4,6,8, weeks we obtained the pieces of tendons and have studied the histologic changes and measured tensile strength as time passed.

Results

Histologically fibrobalst-like cells were proliferated on the epitenon and migrated into the suture site and produced collagen fibers in the central area. Tensile strength was proportionately increased until 8 weeks and well correlated with histologic findings.

In conclusion, healing of the repaired tendon was initiated on the surface area and gained tensile strength with time passed.

Keywords: Tendon; Tendong healing; Tensile strenth