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Poly-N-Acetyl Glucosamine (sNAG) Enhances Early Rotator Cuff Tendon Healing in a Rat Model

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Abstract

Rotator cuff injuries frequently require surgical repairs which have a high failure rate. Biological augmentation has been utilized in an attempt to improve tendon repair. Poly-N-acetyl glucosamine (sNAG) polymer containing nanofibers has been shown to increase the rate for healing of venous leg ulcers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the healing and analgesic properties of sNAG in a rat rotator cuff injury and repair model. 144 adult male Sprague–Dawley rats underwent a transection and repair of their left supraspinatus tendons. Half of the animals received a sNAG membrane on the tendon-to-bone insertion site. Animals were further subdivided, receiving 1 or 3 days of analgesics. Animals were sacrificed 2, 4, or 8 weeks post-injury. Animals sacrificed at 4 and 8 weeks underwent longitudinal in vivo ambulatory assessment. Histological properties were assessed at 2, 4, and 8 weeks, and mechanical properties at 4 and 8 weeks. In the presence of analgesics, tendons receiving the sNAG polymer had significantly increased max load and max stress at 4 weeks, but not at 8 weeks. Ambulatory improvements were observed at 14 days in stride length and speed. Therefore, sNAG improves tendon-to-bone healing in a rat rotator cuff detachment and repair model.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by Marine Polymer Technologies, Inc. and the Penn Center for Musculoskeletal Disorders (P30 AR069619). We thank Cody Hillin and Jessica Johnston for assistance with surgical procedures, and Carrie Barnum for assistance with in vivo ambulatory assessments. Study approved by University of Pennsylvania IACUC (Protocol #805836).

Conflict of interest

The author (LJS) has received funding during the conduct of the study related directly to the subject of this manuscript from Marine Polymer Technologies Inc, and has also received funding from commercial entities related indirectly to the subject of this manuscript. The author (JV) is employed by Marine Polymer Technologies, owns stock in the company, and supplied the materials used in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. McKay Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, University of Pennsylvania, 110 Stemmler Hall, 3450 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA, 19104-6081, USA

    C. A. Nuss, J. Huegel, J. F. Boorman-Padgett, D. S. Choi, S. N. Weiss & L. J. Soslowsky

  2. Marine Polymer Technologies, Inc., Burlington, MA, USA

    J. Vournakis

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  1. C. A. Nuss
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  2. J. Huegel
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  3. J. F. Boorman-Padgett
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  4. D. S. Choi
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  5. S. N. Weiss
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  6. J. Vournakis
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  7. L. J. Soslowsky
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Correspondence to L. J. Soslowsky.

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Associate Editor Michael S. Detamore oversaw the review of this article.

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Nuss, C.A., Huegel, J., Boorman-Padgett, J.F. et al. Poly-N-Acetyl Glucosamine (sNAG) Enhances Early Rotator Cuff Tendon Healing in a Rat Model. Ann Biomed Eng 45, 2826–2836 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-017-1923-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-017-1923-4

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