[A histopathological observation of the temporomandibular joint after intracapsular trauma in rabbits].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the characteristics and prognosis of intra-articular trauma in the TMJ.


METHODS
In this experiment,we used 28 young New Zealand white rabbits. They were equally divided into 1 control group and 6 experimental groups. First,to introduce indirect trauma to bilateral rabbit TMJ. Then, we killed the animals after posttraumatic 24 hours, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, and 3 months respectively. Finally, removed wholly the bilateral TMJs and did histopathological examinations.


RESULTS
No abnormal changes were found in the control group. The experimental groups showed fracture of articular surface, avulsion of disk and synovical membrane, haemarthrosis, etc. These injuries showed pathological changes like degenerative joint disease with the time going. But, during the whole observation,we did not find any adhesion in TMJs.


CONCLUSIONS
Indirect injury to TMJ can result in OA, and maybe bring about the forthcoming ankylosis of TMJ.
Department of Stomatology, Yancheng First Hospital, Jiangsu Yanchen 224001, China.
Chun-qing
CQ
Hua
Long-hao
LH
Yao
Guo-ming
GM
Wang