Biologic tendon fixation to metallic implant augmented with autogenous cancellous bone graft and bone marrow in a canine model

Soft tissue attachment to a metallic prosthesis is required for the improvement of the functional outcome of endoprosthetic reconstructions. Direct tendon attachment to the metallic surface can be achieved through fibrous ingrowth, but such an attachment has a mechanical strength less than one fifth of that of a normal tendon insertion. Regeneration of a transitional structure between the tendon and the metallic surface similar to the normal morphology of a direct tendon insertion may improve the mechanical strength of the new tendon insertion. The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of placement of an interpositional autogenous cancellous bone plate augmented with bone marrow on the mechanical strength of the soft tissue attachment to the metallic surface. The insertion of the supraspinatus tendon was reattached to a porous titanium prosthesis in a canine shoulder model. An autogenous cancellous bone plate supplemented with bone marrow was positioned between the metallic surface and the tendon. Assessment of load-bearing, as a measure of functional recovery, and radiological analysis were performed at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 weeks. The animals were euthanized 16 weeks after surgery, and the specimens were subjected to tensile mechanical testing (six animals) and microradiographic-histologic evaluation (three animals). Functional analysis showed a 90.3% recovery of preoperative weight-bearing by 16 weeks (p < 0.05). The mineralized area around the prostheses increased by 63% over time (p < 0.05). Tensile stiffness and strength of the reconstruction were 43.6% and 42.8% of the intact tendon insertion values, respectively. These results were higher than in previous experiments using the direct tendon attachment (p < 0.01, p < 0.05, respectively) or the interpositional bone plate without marrow supplementation (p < 0.05, p < 0.05, respectively). Morphologically, the tendon reattachment site contained the basic tissue transition zones in normal tendon insertion to bone. Inductive bone grafting, supplemented with bone marrow, in the biologic augmentation of tendon anchoring onto a porous metallic prosthesis was an effective technique to increase the mechanical strength of the tendon attachment to the metallic prosthesis.