title: Anterior cruciate ligament surgery in the rabbit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Various methods regarding allograft knee replacements have been described. The animal models, which are generally used for this purpose include sheep, dogs, goats, and pigs, and accrue significant costs for study protocols. The authors herein describe an efficient and cost-effective model to study either native or tissue-engineered allografts for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) replacement in a New Zealand rabbit model with the potential for transgenic and cell migration studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  ACL reconstructions were performed in rabbits under general anesthesia. For fresh allograft implantations, two animals were operated in parallel. Each right extensor digitorum longus tendon was harvested and prepared for implantation. After excision of the ACL, tibial and femoral bone tunnels were created to implant each graft in the native ACL position.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During a 2-year period, the authors have successfully undertaken this surgery in 61 rabbits and have not noticed any major complications attributed to this surgical technique. In addition, the authors have observed fast recovery in the animals postoperatively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors recommend this surgical procedure as an excellent model for the study of knee surgery.
authors: Laboratoire de Bioingénierie et Bioimagerie Ostéo-Articulaire (B2OA) CNRS UMR 7052, Université Denis Diderot Paris VII, Paris, France.
authors: Manon
authors: M
authors: Bachy
authors: Ines
authors: I
authors: Sherifi
authors: Fréderic
authors: F
authors: Zadegan
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Petrover
authors: Hervé
authors: H
authors: Petite
authors: Didier
authors: D
authors: Hannouche
mesh_terms: D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D059549:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction / Q000379:methods*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000379:methods; D011817:Rabbits; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods; D013710:Tendons / Q000637:transplantation; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
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