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Tubular Woven Narrow Fabrics for Replacement of Cruciate Ligaments

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Abstract

The human knee is one of the most frequently injured joints. More than half of these injuries are related to a failure of the anterior cruciate ligament. Current treatments (allogeneic and autologous) bear several disadvantages which can be overcome through the use of synthetic structures. Within the scope of this paper the potential of tubular woven fabrics for the use as artificial ligaments has been evaluated. Twelve fabrics made of polyethylene terephthalate and polytetrafluoroethylene were produced using shuttle weaving technology. Mechanical and biological properties of the fabrics were assessed using static tensile testing and cytotoxicity assays. The results obtained within this study show that woven tubular fabrics can be potentially used as artificial ligament structures as they can provide the desired medical and mechanical properties for cruciate ligament replacements. Through the choice of material and weaving parameters the fabrics’ tensile properties can imitate the stress–strain characteristic of the human cruciate ligament. Further assessments in terms of cyclic loading behavior and abrasion resistance of the material are needed to evaluate the success in long term implantation.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Forschungsvereinigung Forschungskuratorium Textil e.V. for the financial support of the research project AiF-No. 16322 N („Wirkkantenfreie 3D-Bandgewebe – Entwicklung von Funktionsmodellen für die Medizintechnik“), which occurred in the program for the sponsorship of the „Industriellen Gemeinschaftsforschung (IGF)“ from funds of the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Technologie (BMWi) through the Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigungen e.V. (AiF).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Textiltechnik der RWTH Aachen University, Otto-Blumenthal-Str. 1, 52074, Aachen, Germany

    Yves-Simon Gloy, M. Loehrer, B. Lang & T. Gries

  2. Department of Applied Medical Engineering, Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

    L. Rongen & S. Jockenhoevel

Authors
  1. Yves-Simon Gloy
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  2. M. Loehrer
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  3. B. Lang
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  4. L. Rongen
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  5. T. Gries
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  6. S. Jockenhoevel
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Correspondence to Yves-Simon Gloy.

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Associate Editor Jane Grande-Allen oversaw the review of this article.

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Gloy, YS., Loehrer, M., Lang, B. et al. Tubular Woven Narrow Fabrics for Replacement of Cruciate Ligaments. Ann Biomed Eng 41, 1950–1956 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-013-0806-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-013-0806-6

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