Introduction

The invention refers to an implantable device that allows to replace and to give way to regenerate damaged tendons or ligaments. The innovative element of this object lies in its structure that faithfully reproduces, in all its micro-structures, the mechanical, morphological and physiological characteristics not only of the tendinous and ligamentous tissue, but potentially of the muscular and nervous tissue too.

Technical features

The proposed device  is a scaffold that might be used as both resorbable and not resorbable prosthesis, due to its accurate shape and the capacity to enable adhesion, proliferation and migration of the cells within it. Thanks to the form conceived by researchers, the device degrades naturally leaving space for the regenerated tissues. By varying the material used, the same technology can also be used to produce non-resorbable prostheses, to definitively replace tendons or ligaments that can no longer be repaired. Thanks to the electrospinning technology researchers succeeded in reproducing the all levels of the hierarchical structure of these complex tissues, starting from the single fibrilla up to the outer jacket, which gives protection and mechanical compaction of the bundles inside it.

Possible Applications

• Surgery: replacement, repair, reconstruction of a tendinous and/or ligamentous tissue;
• Teaching: tendon and /or ligament tissue simulation;
• Biomedical sector: non-resorbable prostheses production;
• Robotics: potentially, artificial muscles construction.

Advantages

• Biocompatible, biodegradable and resorbable device;
• Accurate reproduction of the extremely complex structure of a tendon or ligament;
• Potentially applicable to reproduction of muscular and nervous tissues;
• Opportunity for non-resorbable prostheses production.