title: Osteochondral defects of the talus: a novel animal model in the goat.
abstract: Osteochondral defects of the talus pose a difficult therapeutic challenge. An experimental animal model of the ankle joint is not available. The aim of this study was to test a newly developed animal model for osteochondral defects of the ankle in vivo. Osteochondral defects were created in the talus of goat hind legs using a posterolateral surgical approach. The defects were filled with either autologous cancellous bone or donor demineralized bone matrix or left empty as control. After 12 weeks of healing, the specimens were analyzed with radiography, macroscopy, microcomputed tomography, histology, histomorphometry, and fluorescence microscopy. It was possible to create a standardized defect in each talus. The implanted material remained in place. The analyses showed that most bony tissue was generated in the defects filled with autologous bone and least in the control defects. Our findings show that a standard osteochondral defect can be created in the talus by a relatively simple procedure in a large animal that allows qualitative and quantitative evaluation. The model can be used in future experiments to investigate alternative treatment methods before they are introduced into clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Research Center Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. c.j.vanbergen@amc.nl
authors.forename: Christiaan J A
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: van Bergen
authors.forename: Gino M M J
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Kerkhoffs
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Marsidi
authors.forename: Clara M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Korstjens
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Everts
authors.forename: Leo J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: van Ruijven
authors.forename: C Niek
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: van Dijk
authors.forename: Leendert
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blankevoort
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018786:Bone Substitutes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002111:Calcaneus / Q000737:chemistry*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006041:Goats; D013628:Talus / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D018786:Bone Substitutes