Retropatellar chondromalacia associated with medial osteoarthritis after meniscus injury. One year of observations in sheep.
OBJECTIVE
In an ovine meniscal repair model, the patellofemoral (PF) osteoarthritis due to a non-sutured tear or failed repair was investigated.


METHODS
A radial meniscus tear was either sutured with polydioxanone (PDS), with a slow degrading polylactide long-term suture(LTS) or left without treatment. Knee joint cartilage in the PF and medial compartment was evaluated compared to normal knees (healthy controls).


RESULTS
Retropatellar osteoarthritis in the non-sutured and sutured animals was intense in contrast to the control knees after 6 months in all groups (p < 0.001), and after 12 months in the PDS group (p < 0.001), LTS group and non-sutured animals (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Non-sutured meniscus tears and failed repair lead fast to intense PF osteoarthritis corresponding with tibial damage of the injured compartment.
Burger
C
C
Department of Trauma Surgery, University of Bonn Medical Center, Bonn, Germany. christof.burger@ukb.uni-bonn.de
Kabir
K
K
Mueller
M
M
Rangger
C
C
Minor
T
T
Tolba
R H
RH
D000818:Animals; D046789:Chondromalacia Patellae / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D007239:Infections; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010329:Patella; D012756:Sheep; D013537:Sutures; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D000070600:Tibial Meniscus Injuries; D013997:Time Factors; D016474:Weight-Bearing