A Biomechanical Study of Two Distinct Methods of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture, and a Novel Surgical Reconstruction Technique, in a Small Animal Model of Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis

Austin J. Ramme; Matin S. Lendhey; Eric J. Strauss; Oran D. Kennedy

doi:10.1055/s-0037-1600088

The Journal of Knee Surgery, Table of Contents

J Knee Surg 2018; 31(01): 043-049
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1600088

Original Article

Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA

A Biomechanical Study of Two Distinct Methods of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rupture, and a Novel Surgical Reconstruction Technique, in a Small Animal Model of Posttraumatic Osteoarthritis

Austin J. Ramme

¹Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York

,

Matin S. Lendhey

¹Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York

,

Eric J. Strauss

¹Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York

,

Oran D. Kennedy

¹Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York

²Department of Anatomy, The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Small animal models are critical for studies of sports-related knee injury and disease such as posttraumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. In such models, ACL damage can be achieved by surgical transection or, using a more recent innovation, by noninvasive biomechanical means. Whether these approaches differentially alter normal mechanics is unknown. Furthermore, while surgical reconstruction of ruptured ACL can greatly improve joint stability, its effect on PTOA development is also unclear. Our primary purpose was to characterize rodent knee joint mechanics in two models of ACL rupture using a novel quantitative laxity mechanical test. Our secondary aim was to characterize a new reconstruction technique using autograft tail tendon, and to assess its effect on joint mechanics. Our hypothesis was that surgical ACL transection would have a greater effect on joint mechanics. A total of 24 rat knee specimens underwent surgical or biomechanical ACL rupture and were stabilized using a new reconstruction technique using autograft tail tendon. Joint mechanics were assessed three times; preinjury, postinjury, and again after reconstruction, using quantitative joint laxity testing. Primary test readouts were maximum anteroposterior (AP) laxity, loading curve slope, and energy absorption. Student's t-tests were performed to identify intragroup differences. All surgical transections were completed successfully; maximum load in the biomechanical model was 67 ± 7.7 N, with a coefficient of variation of 11.43%. Surgical transection caused increased AP laxity, while biomechanical injury nonsignificantly increased this parameter. In both cases, these changes recovered to baseline by reconstruction. Loading curve slope was reduced in both models and was also returned to baseline by repair. Energy absorption followed the same pattern except it remained significantly different from baseline postreconstruction in the surgical group. This study supports our hypothesis knee joint mechanics is differentially affected by injury mechanism in a small animal model. We also report a novel reconstruction technique in this model, using autograft tail tendon.

Keywords

ACL - laxity - surgical reconstruction - animal model - PTOA

Full Text

References

References
1 Mather III RC, Koenig L, Kocher MS. , et al; MOON Knee Group. Societal and economic impact of anterior cruciate ligament tears. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2013; 95 (19) 1751-1759
2 Tang Z, Yang L, Wang Y. , et al. Contributions of different intraarticular tissues to the acute phase elevation of synovial fluid MMP-2 following rat ACL rupture. J Orthop Res 2009; 27 (02) 243-248
3 Engel LS, Buckley JP, Yang G. , et al. Predictors and variability of repeat measurements of urinary phenols and parabens in a cohort of Shanghai women and men. Environ Health Perspect 2014; 122 (07) 733-740
4 Wolf BR, Ramme AJ, Wright RW. , et al; MOON Knee Group Variability in ACL tunnel placement: observational clinical study of surgeon ACL tunnel variability. Am J Sports Med 2013; 41 (06) 1265-1273
5 McConkey MO, Amendola A, Ramme AJ. , et al; MOON Knee Group Arthroscopic agreement among surgeons on anterior cruciate ligament tunnel placement. Am J Sports Med 2012; 40 (12) 2737-2746
6 Aarabi B, Harrop JS, Tator CH. , et al. Predictors of pulmonary complications in blunt traumatic spinal cord injury. J Neurosurg Spine 2012; 17 (1, Suppl): 38-45
7 Wen C, Lohmander LS. Osteoarthritis: does post-injury ACL reconstruction prevent future OA?. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2014; 10 (10) 577-578
8 Lohmander LS, Englund PM, Dahl LL, Roos EM. The long-term consequence of anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus injuries: osteoarthritis. Am J Sports Med 2007; 35 (10) 1756-1769
9 Agnello KA, Trumble TN, Chambers JN, Seewald W, Budsberg SC. Effects of zoledronate on markers of bone metabolism and subchondral bone mineral density in dogs with experimentally induced cruciate-deficient osteoarthritis. Am J Vet Res 2005; 66 (09) 1487-1495
10 Williams JM, Felten DL, Peterson RG, O'Connor BL. Effects of surgically induced instability on rat knee articular cartilage. J Anat 1982; 134 (Pt 1): 103-109
11 Naito K, Watari T, Furuhata A. , et al. Evaluation of the effect of glucosamine on an experimental rat osteoarthritis model. Life Sci 2010; 86 (13-14): 538-543
12 Pataki A, Müller K, Green JR, Ma YF, Li QN, Jee WS. Effects of short-term treatment with the bisphosphonates zoledronate and pamidronate on rat bone: a comparative histomorphometric study on the cancellous bone formed before, during, and after treatment. Anat Rec 1997; 249 (04) 458-468
13 Cınar BM, Ozkoc G, Bolat F, Karaeminogullari O, Sezgin N, Tandogan RN. Intra-articular zoledronic acid in a rat osteoarthritis model: significant reduced synovitis may indicate chondroprotective effect. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2015; 23 (05) 1410-1418
14 Silva Jr FS, Yoshinari NH, Castro RR. , et al. Combined glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate provides functional and structural benefit in the anterior cruciate ligament transection model. Clin Rheumatol 2009; 28 (02) 109-117
15 Myers SL, Brandt KD, Burr DB, O'Connor BL, Albrecht M. Effects of a bisphosphonate on bone histomorphometry and dynamics in the canine cruciate deficiency model of osteoarthritis. J Rheumatol 1999; 26 (12) 2645-2653
16 Hayami T, Pickarski M, Zhuo Y, Wesolowski GA, Rodan GA, Duong LT. Characterization of articular cartilage and subchondral bone changes in the rat anterior cruciate ligament transection and meniscectomized models of osteoarthritis. Bone 2006; 38 (02) 234-243
17 Pelletier JP, Troncy E, Bertaim T. , et al. Treatment with tiludronic acid helps reduce the development of experimental osteoarthritis lesions in dogs with anterior cruciate ligament transection followed by reconstructive surgery: a 1-year study with quantitative magnetic resonance imaging. J Rheumatol 2011; 38 (01) 118-128
18 Moreau M, Rialland P, Pelletier JP. , et al. Tiludronate treatment improves structural changes and symptoms of osteoarthritis in the canine anterior cruciate ligament model. Arthritis Res Ther 2011; 13 (03) R98
19 Mohan G, Perilli E, Parkinson IH, Humphries JM, Fazzalari NL, Kuliwaba JS. Pre-emptive, early, and delayed alendronate treatment in a rat model of knee osteoarthritis: effect on subchondral trabecular bone microarchitecture and cartilage degradation of the tibia, bone/cartilage turnover, and joint discomfort. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2013; 21 (10) 1595-1604
20 Strassle BW, Mark L, Leventhal L. , et al. Inhibition of osteoclasts prevents cartilage loss and pain in a rat model of degenerative joint disease. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2010; 18 (10) 1319-1328
21 Ramme AJ, Lendhey M, Raya JG, Kirsch T, Kennedy OD. A novel rat model for subchondral microdamage in acute knee injury: a potential mechanism in post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2016; 24 (10) 1776-1785
22 Christiansen BA, Anderson MJ, Lee CA, Williams JC, Yik JH, Haudenschild DR. Musculoskeletal changes following non-invasive knee injury using a novel mouse model of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2012; 20 (07) 773-782
23 Christiansen BA, Guilak F, Lockwood KA. , et al. Non-invasive mouse models of post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2015; 23 (10) 1627-1638
24 Maerz T, Kurdziel MD, Davidson AA, Baker KC, Anderson K, Matthew HW. Biomechanical characterization of a model of noninvasive, traumatic anterior cruciate ligament injury in the rat. Ann Biomed Eng 2015; 43 (10) 2467-2476
25 Poulet B, Hamilton RW, Shefelbine S, Pitsillides AA. Characterizing a novel and adjustable noninvasive murine joint loading model. Arthritis Rheum 2011; 63 (01) 137-147
26 Rodeo SA, Voigt C, Ma R. , et al. Use of a new model allowing controlled uniaxial loading to evaluate tendon healing in a bone tunnel. J Orthop Res 2016; 34 (05) 852-859
27 Lanzi Jr JT, Felix J, Tucker CJ. , et al. Comparison of the suture anchor and transosseous techniques for patellar tendon repair: a biomechanical study. Am J Sports Med 2016; 44 (08) 2076-2080
28 Fritton JC, Myers ER, Wright TM, van der Meulen MC. Loading induces site-specific increases in mineral content assessed by microcomputed tomography of the mouse tibia. Bone 2005; 36 (06) 1030-1038