Regenerative Engineering of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament

Abstract

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, both acute and chronic, are common in sport injuries. The presence of the synovial fluid in the knee joint inhibits the spontaneous healing of the ACL, thus requiring surgical intervention. Although current methods to reconstruct the ACL can stabilize the knee joint, the progression of osteoarthritis is not halted. This chapter describes the current clinical methods to reconstruct an injured ACL and new methods to enhance the healing process. Three therapeutic strategies will be discussed in this chapter on the repair of ACL: (1) single bundle versus double bundle surgical techniques, (2) biodegradable matrices for ACL repair, and (3) biological adjuvants to enhance ACL repair. These strategies are promising clinically translatable methods to allow patients to return to normal activity levels and to alleviate pain and discomfort caused by osteoarthritis.