A mechanical study on the bones of 29 rabbits following implantation of carbontendon was carried out. The rabbits were divided into seven groups according to the observation time (2,4,6,8,12,20 and 30 weeks after operation). A bundle of artificial tendon composed of 7,000 carbon fibers was passedthrough a tunnel in the tibia, and both ends of the artificial tendon were ligated to the muscle fibers. The mechanical strength and histological structure of the carbonbone junction and their relationship were studied in each group. Carbon fiberwas split and degradated in six to eight weeks after operation. The tensile strength of carbontendon in the soft tissue was decreased from 82±4.6N in the second week to 27±5.31N and6.3±1.81N in the sixth and eighth week respectively. The tensile strength of carbontendon increased from 3.01±1.2N to 6.1±2.01N at the carbon -tendon-bone junction in the bone. The tensile strength of carbon-tendon was unsatisfactory for implantation into bone. The carbon-tendon was split and degradated and the tensile strength was not b enough to cope with the early functional exercises.
