|
Menisci function to distribution load and increase
stability of the knee joint. Both
partial and complete meniscectomy have been shown to increase the incidence
of osteoarthritis. Meniscal replacement with allograft, synthetic or tissue
engineered replacements, could act to reduce the incidences of
osteoarthritis. The success of meniscal replacements depends on their
ability to restore normal meniscal function both biologically and biomechanically. Previous studies indicate that a
number of biomechanical criteria are important for proper meniscal
function, such as the material properties and geometry of the replacement
tissue as well as the attachment of the replacement to the tibial plateau. The goals of this project are to
quantify the relationship between structure and function for meniscal
attachments, and to define a more sophisticated constitutive model of the
attachments. Specifically this project will 1) determine the mechanical
properties of the anterior and posterior medial meniscal attachments, 2)
quantify the thickness of the ligamentous, uncalcified fibrocartilage,
calcified fibrocartilage and subchondral
bone zones in the meniscal attachments, as well as the depth, number and
frequency of interdigitations between the
calcified fibrocartilage and subchondral
bone. The glycosaminoglycan and collagen
orientation within the attachments will also be determined. Lastly, the
project will 3) model the attachments as fiber-reinforced poroelastic to predict the behavior of the attachments.
The results of these aims will then be used to quantify a relationship
between the structure and function of the native meniscal attachments. This
data can then be used to develop,design
and evaluate meniscal replacements, including tissue engineered constructs.
A successful meniscal replacements will work to
prevent joint degeneration following menisectomy.
|
