Biologic remodeling after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using a collagen matrix derived from demineralized bone. An experimental study in the goat model.

A matrix of demineralized cortical bone was used to reconstruct the anterior cruciate ligament in the goat model. This graft underwent considerable site-specific remodeling and transformation from a Haversian system at time zero into a ligament-like structure at 1 year. This transformation included new bone formation filling the osseous tunnels and replacing the demineralized matrix, development of a ligament-like transition zone within the graft, and ligamentous collagen orientation with crimp in the intraarticular portion of the graft. One year after surgery, the mean anterior-posterior translation in the reconstructed stifle joints at 30 N of tibial loading was 2.1 +/- 0.4 (+/- SEM). The mean ultimate force to failure for the reconstructed ligament at 1 year was 474 +/- 146 N compared with the time-zero (initial) strength of the matrix of 73 +/- 9 N. The cellular repopulation of the graft had no associated inflammatory cells. The potential clinical significance of these findings includes 1) replacement of a collagen matrix with bone within the osseous tunnels, 2) establishment of a more physiologic fibrocartilage transition at the graft insertion site, 3) the time-zero structural properties of a collagen matrix increasing to more desired values with biologic remodeling, and 4) a sterile biologic allograft with essentially no long-term inflammatory response.