Autologous Tendon-cell Implant (ATI) is a product that is produced by a biotech company from a sample of healthy tendon tissue derived from the patient requiring tendon healing.
For example, if the patient needs regeneration of a rotator cuff tendon, we harvest a very small piece the patella tendon, the sample is sent to the Orthocell lab where it is seperated into individual cells which are then cultured for about 6 weeks until the requisite number of healthy tendon cells are generated. A vial of these tendon cells (tenocytes) is then sent to us and the cells are injected under ultrasound guidance into the damaged rotator cuff tendon.
ATI is an evidence-based product that is safe and effective and can be used for multiple tendon sites including rotator cuff, tennis elbow, gluteal/hip and ankle tendons.