Articular cartilage degeneration after frozen meniscus and Achilles tendon allograft transplantation: experimental study in sheep.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to analyze cartilage degeneration in knees after total medial meniscectomy, transplantation of fresh-frozen meniscus allograft, and Achilles tendon allograft.


METHODS
Experimental study.


METHODS
We have studied the articular cartilage in the medial compartment of the left knees in 32 sheep aged 5 to 6 months, with 8 animals in each group. The study was performed after meniscectomy (group I), transplantation of fresh-frozen meniscus allograft (group II), use of fresh-frozen Achilles tendon allograft (group III), and in a control group (group IV). For the histologic study, all samples were stained with Masson's trichrome and Safranine-O. Mankin's score was applied to grade the histologic damage to the articular cartilage.


RESULTS
The group with the greatest number of degenerative changes was group III, followed by groups I and II. The percentage of thickness of cartilage detected by Safranine-O stain was found to be significantly different in both tibia and femur between the control group and the other 3 groups, but not among groups I, II, and III. The immunoreactivity of the articular surfaces in tibia and femur showed notable differences in all the groups. Collagen X was present in the degenerative hypertrophic chondrocytes in the damaged articular surfaces.


CONCLUSIONS
Meniscal replacement with meniscal and Achilles tendon allografts provides partial protection against articular damage after a meniscectomy.
Mora
Gonzalo
G
Laboratory for Experimental Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
Alvarez
Eduardo
E
Ripalda
Purificacion
P
Forriol
Francisco
F
D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000032:analysis; D024121:Collagen Type X / Q000032:analysis; D017885:Collateral Ligaments / Q000601:surgery; D015925:Cryopreservation; D008592:Menisci, Tibial / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000473:pathology*; D011859:Radiography; D012756:Sheep; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014945:Wound Healing
D024043:Collagen Type II; D024121:Collagen Type X