Multi-Laminate, Angle-Ply Annulus Fibrosus Repair Implant Injected with Glycosaminoglycan Gel Demonstrates Increased Biaxial Impact Resistance and Restores Spinal Kinematics

摘要

To date, few biomaterials developed for AF repair have been evaluated for their mechanical characteristics, specifically in their ability to resist impact loading. We have demonstrated the addition of interlamellar GAG within AFRP significantly increases the implant's resistance to impact burst. Additionally, annulotomized AF tissue repaired with the AFRP alone demonstrated its ability to constrain the native nucleus pulposus within the confines of the AF, resulting in the restoration of the compressive kinematic properties. However, without a void-filling implant to replace the excised annular tissue, the AFRP was only able to restore some kinematic parameters. Therefore, a major finding of this study illustrates the need of a full thickness AF repair implant to restore spinal kinematics.