Bioadhesive Membrane Constructs to Augment Tendon Repair

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The frequency with which tendon injuries are occurring is increasing due to medical advances that allow an increasingly aging population to remain physically active longer than previously possible. There is a great deal of controversy among the orthopedic community regarding the best and most effective method of treating such injuries. While progress has been made in improving the method of fixation of torn tendons, there remains a need to further enhance the currently employed methods to allow for earlier rehabilitation and fewer incidences of post-operative pain, surgical complications, and rerupture of the repaired tissues. Conventional methods of augmentation secure the injured tissue and/or graft at only a few points via suture, thus placing a great strain at the suture sites. By better securing the graft to the repair, and dispersing the tension over the entire graft surface, the patient can potentially begin post-operative rehabilitation much sooner. Early mobilization has been found to be critical in regenerating well-organized and functional (fibers in) tendons. Marine mussels provided the inspiration for the new technology presented in this proposal. By releasing rapidly hardening, tightly binding adhesive proteins, marine mussels have the ability to anchor themselves to various surfaces in a wet, turbulent, and saline environment. Both natural proteins and their synthetic mimics have been shown to bind strongly to various substrates ranging from biological tissues to metal surfaces. In this proposal, biomimetic synthetic adhesives will be combined with a natural scaffold to create a novel bioadhesive membrane. The intent of such a construct is to create a repair that is stronger than sutures alone by securing the material over the entire surface area being repaired. The feasibility of using such a material as an augmentation device for tendon repair will be tested. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Injuries of tendons have been occurring with increasing prevalence over the last several decades. Current fixation methods and materials have exhibited mixed success, but each has limitations. The development and evaluation of a novel bioadhesive membrane construct to augment tendon repair is described here.