Publications by authors named "Rebecca K Spragg"

This study aims to assess the regional variability, processing methods, mechanical, biochemical, and cellular properties of human fascia lata as a scaffold for soft tissue repair and tissue engineering applications. Ten pairs of fascia lata (donor age 18-55) were used. One fascia patch from each pair was used to assess the geometric and biomechanical variability of fresh fascia.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Our long-term objective is to enhance tendon repair by delivering cells on natural biologic scaffolds to the repair site. Clinical outcomes may be improved by first preconditioning these cell-seeded constructs in bioreactors to enhance their properties at implantation and to deliver cells expressing a desired phenotype. In this work, we have investigated the effect of in vitro mechanical conditioning on small-intestine submucosa (SIS) scaffolds seeded with primary tendon cells (tenocytes).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: We are not aware of any in vitro study comparing the biomechanical, biochemical, and cellular properties of commercial extracellular matrix materials marketed for rotator cuff tendon repair. In this study, the properties of GraftJacket, TissueMend, Restore, and CuffPatch were quantified and compared with each other. The elastic moduli were also compared with that of normal canine infraspinatus tendon.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF