Abstract
We report the results of an experimental study to investigate the mechanical properties and histological structure of the tendon-bone junction following surgical implantation of tendon into bone in the rabbit.
The results following tendon transfer and tendon grafting were compared.
The normal four-zone tendon junction was not reproduced histologically, in either group, After 20 weeks, the mechanical strength of the tendon transfers had reached 60% of the controls and that of the tendon grafts 20% of the controls.
Microangiography demonstrated that these differences were not related to the vascularisation of the tendon bone juction. The mechanical properties of the tendon-bone junction may be dependent more on the functional state of the implanted tendon than on its structure.
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