Nutrition of cruciate ligament reconstruction by diffusion. Collagen synthesis studied in rabbits.

The reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament was studied in the rabbit using the medial third of the patellar tendon. Tritiated proline, 100 microCi/kg body weight, was injected intra-articularly to insure detection of the metabolic conversion product 3H-hydroxyproline in the avascular graft. During the immediate postoperative period, nutrients were found to derive from the synovial fluid through a process of diffusion, demonstrating that synovial nutrition occurs prior to revascularization of the graft.