Abstract
It is previously known that the patellar tendon does not normalise histologically in the short term after harvesting its central third. The aim of the study was to obtain long-term serial biopsies from the central and peripheral parts of the patellar tendon after the harvesting procedure. Our hypothesis was that in the long term after harvesting its central third, the patellar tendon does not regain normal histological appearance. Seventeen consecutive patients, who had undergone anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using patellar tendon autografts, were included. Percutaneous biopsies were obtained under ultrasonographic guidance 27 (24–29) months and 71 (68–73) months after the index procedure, respectively. The sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin. The biopsies were evaluated using light microscope. Both at 27 months and 71 months, the fibre structure was deteriorated and the vascularity and cellularity were increased compared with normal tendon. This was seen in both the central and peripheral parts of the tendon. In conclusion, nearly 6 years after harvesting its central third, the patellar tendon had still not normalised histologically, neither in the central nor peripheral parts of the tendon.
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Acknowledgements
This study was supported by grants from the Norra Älvsborg and Bohus County Council’s Research and Development Department, the Swedish National Centre for Research in Sports and the Karolinska Institutet.
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Svensson, M., Kartus, J., Christensen, L.R. et al. A long-term serial histological evaluation of the patellar tendon in humans after harvesting its central third. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 13, 398–404 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-004-0590-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-004-0590-9