The effects of N-acetylcysteine and adipose-derived stem cells on tendon healing in chronic rotator cuff tears: a rabbit model study Download PDF Anıl Aydın1, Burak Çakar2, Mehmet Fatih Uzun3, Zeynep Burçin Gönen4, İrem Gürbüz5, Arzu Hanım Yay6, Sebati Başer Canbaz7, Muhammed Şehit Karmaz8, Mustafa Ermiş9 & …Erdal Uzun2 467 Accesses Explore all metrics AbstractBackgroundRotator cuff tears are associated with significant morbidity, and retear rates after surgical repair remain high, largely due to chronic degenerative changes such as muscle atrophy and fatty infiltration. This study aims to evaluate the effects of locally injected adipose tissue-derived stem cells and orally administered N-acetylcysteine, individually and in combination, on tendon healing in a rabbit model of chronic rotator cuff rupture.MethodsThirty-two male New Zealand white rabbits were used as models of chronic rotator cuff tear, surgically established by detaching the supraspinatus tendon and delaying repair to create a chronic defect. The rabbits were divided into four groups: Group A (control, saline-treated), Group B (N-acetylcysteine-treated), Group C (adipose tissue-derived stem cells-treated), and Group D (combined adipose tissue-derived stem cells and N-acetylcysteine-treated). Chronic rotator cuff tear repairs were conducted after six weeks. Histological, immunohistochemical, and biomechanical assessments were performed 12 weeks post-repair. Key outcomes included collagen organization, fatty infiltration, type I collagen expression, and tensile strength.ResultsHistopathological analysis revealed significantly improved collagen fiber alignment, reduced fatty infiltration, and decreased inflammation in Groups C and D compared to Groups A and B (p
NAC N-acetyl cysteine
