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7th EFSMA – European Congress of Sports Medicine, 3rd Central European Congress of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Annual Assembly of the German and the Austrian Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Austrian Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

26.-29.10.2011, Salzburg, Austria

Risk factors of Osteoarthritis: long-term follow-up after ACL transsection

Meeting Abstract

  • corresponding author presenting/speaker Andre Leumann - Orthopaedic Department, University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
  • Monika Horisberger - Orthopaedic Department, University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
  • Tim Leonard - Human Performance Laboratory, University of Calgary, Canada
  • Victor Valderrabano - Orthopaedic Department, University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
  • John Matyas - Human Performance Laboratory, University of Calgary, Canada
  • Walter Herzog - Human Performance Laboratory, University of Calgary, Canada

7th EFSMA – European Congress of Sports Medicine, 3rd Central European Congress of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Salzburg, 26.-29.10.2011. Düsseldorf: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House; 2011. Doc11esm080

doi: 10.3205/11esm080, urn:nbn:de:0183-11esm0802

Published: October 24, 2011

© 2011 Leumann et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.


Outline

Text

Objective: Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is among the most frequent sport injuries with a large socio-economic impact. In long-term, many open questions remain addressing interplay of degeneration and osteoarthritis, and instability. The aim of this study was to follow-up three cats with radiologic, kinematic, and kinetic data acquisition over a period of 12 years.

Material/Methods: Three cats underwent transsection of the anterior cruciate ligament and were followed-up for 144 months (12 years) corresponding to 68 human years. Follow-up included: 1) Radiology: conventional x-rays of the knee and radiologic documentation of the anterior drawer sign. 2) Kinematic data: cats learned to walk on the specially configured threadmill. Angles and range of motion were analyzed. 3) Kinetic data: ground reaction forces were measured with two Kistler Force plates. At the last follow-up, knee extensor forces were measured isometrically. Cats were sacrificed and knee joints underwent histologic preparation and analysis.

Results: After ACL transsection changes in gait were found. Knee joint range of motion decreases, the knee joint is held in a more flexed position while ground reactions forces reduced. These effects disappeared after 3 to 4 months and then, gait looked completely normal until to the very end, when the cats were in pain due to these advanced joint degeneration. Although gait analysis returns to normal, degeneration of the knee joint is found very early and progresses fast. Anterior drawer test remained pathologic.

Conclusion: Understanding of risk factors for joint degeneration is important in order to improve prevention of posttraumatic knee joint osteoarthritis. In this study, cats developed osteoarthritis very fast although no primary impact as a sign of acute trauma was documented. However, instability remained and must be seen as primary source for OA. Interestingly, although functional instability was compensated after 3 to 4 months, mechanical instability remained and OA progression could not be stopped.