A medical device derived from the lining of urinary bladders of specially bred pigs shows promise for healing equine tendon and ligament injuries, according to Rick Mitchell, DVM, of Fairfield Equine Associates in Newtown, Conn. Mitchell recently addressed a group of veterinarians at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Wash., about the technology and his positive experiences with it in his practice.

Urinary bladder matrix (UBM), sold under the name ACell Vet, is a naturally occurring extracellular matrix scaffolding that promotes remodeling of damaged or injured tissue. It does this by recruiting cells for tissue differentiation from the circulatory system and local tissues (click here for more on ACell Vet and its use on catastrophic wounds). It’s typically distributed as a thin, dehydrated or hydrated membrane. ACell scientists approached Mitchell and other veterinarians to determine if there might be an application of the UBM technology for equine ligament and tendon injuries. Since tendon and ligament tissue structures are dense, it was thought that powdered UBM material in suspension could be injected into these structures without seeping out of them