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Head, shoulders, KNEES and toes…

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which plays a major role in stabilizing the knee, is most frequently ruptured after a violent effort (skiing, football…). Artificial ligaments, which experienced resounding failures in the 1980s (due in particular to a lack of control of the materials used, carbon fibre or Goretex), are now being replaced by a new generation of ligaments, both bioactive and biointegrated.

Project LIGART [1] proposes a synthetic ligament made of polyethylene glycol terephthalate (PET), coated via chemical grafting with a bioactive polymer that prevents chronic inflammatory reactions and acute synovitis, allows a controlled fibroblastic regrowth on the fibres that make up the intra-articular part of the ligament and provides a mechanical strength close to that of the biological ligament.

This ligament is truly revolutionary : it requires no removal from the patient, and minimises the risk of transmission of viral or microbial diseases. It also allows a faster return to professional and/or sports activities by reducing hospitalization and reeducation time. In terms of public health, it provides a significant reduction in the costs related to hospitalization, reeducation and number of sick days.

Laboratoire Chimie, structures et propriétés de biomatériaux et d’agents thérapeutiques, CNRS-Université Paris 13

[1] This ANR TecSan project, which spans several disciplines, requires multidisciplinary expertise ranging from the chemistry of polymer surfaces to animal experimentation, including cellular and molecular biology, tissue engineering, biomechanics and surgery. It is supported by the Biomaterials and Specialty Polymers Team of the CSPBAT Laboratory, specialist in the synthesis and grafting of bioactive polymers - biocompatibility study - collaboration with orthopaedists (CNRS-University of Paris XIII), LARS, the National Veterinary School of Alfort, the Biomechanics Laboratory (French National School of Arts and Crafts) and the University of Paris VII.