Artelon^® reinforcement products are based on elastic Artelon^® fibers and are intended to strengthen weak or repaired soft tissue.

Ruptures or tears in ligaments and tendons may occur as a result of repetitive motion and traumatic or sports-related accidents. Unfortunately, the ligaments and tendons have relatively poor vascular supply and have no ability to heal a complete tear. They also heal slowly.

Artelon^® reinforcement products are based on elastic Artelon^® fibers and are intended to strengthen weak or repaired soft tissue. The fiber structure permits host tissue ingrowth and blood vessels between the fibers. The remaining autologous tissue and bleeding are important to ensure recruitment of cells in the reinforcement structure and future tissue ingrowth.

An important function of the reinforcement is to relieve the load during the sensitive initial healing period and thus achieve long-term stability.

With time, the strength of the implant is reduced, enabling newly formed tissue to take over the function.

A controlled degradation rate is crucial if the body tissue that is formed between the Artelon^® fibers is to take over. If the rate of degradation is too slow, the tissue will not be exposed to mechanical loads and will thus not mature. If the rate of degradation is too high, the tissue is exposed too early and there is a tangible risk of re-rupture.

The effect of having an elastic material working together with the weak tissue has been observed in preclinical and clinical studies. Histological studies have confirmed that collagen type I and blood vessels are formed between the fibers. The tissue is in close contact with the material and the newly formed connective tissue has an organized, ligament-like structure oriented in parallel to the Artelon^® fibers, which is a sign that the tissue is taking the load.

Today, Artelon^® has been used for the reinforcement of the suture repair of the rotator cuff tendons, Achilles tendons and spring ligaments, to avoid re-ruptures. Other applications studied are the reinforcement of tendons used for the reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament and the ulnar collateral ligament.

Artelon^® is a registered trademark of Artimplant AB.