Objective: To investigate the effect of adipose-derived cells (ADCs) on tendon-bone healing in a rat model of chronic rotator cuff tear (RCT) with suprascapular nerve (SN) injury.
Methods: Adult rats underwent right shoulder surgery whereby the supraspinatus was detached, and SN injury was induced. ADCs were cultured from the animals' abdominal fat.
Background: Massive rotator cuff tears (RCTs) are complicated by muscle atrophy, fibrosis, and intramuscular fatty degeneration, which are associated with postoperative tendon-to-bone healing failure and poor clinical outcomes. We evaluated muscle and enthesis changes in large tears with or without suprascapular nerve (SN) injury in a rat model.
Methods: Sixty-two adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into SN injury (+) and SN injury (-) groups (n=31 each), comprising tendon (supraspinatus [SSP]/infraspinatus [ISP]) and nerve resection and tendon resection only cases, respectively.