Longitudinal Measurement of Tibial Motion Relative to the Femur During Passive Displacements and Femoral Nerve Stimulation in the ACL-Deficient Cat Model of Osteoarthritis

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Abstract

Longitudinal measurement of tibial motion relative to the femur during passive anteriorposterior and medial-lateral displacements was carried out for ACL-transected and shamoperated felines. In addition, femoral nerve stimulation was used to measure tibial translation resulting from quadriceps muscle contraction. Measurements were obtained before and immediately after either sham surgery (control animals) or ACL transection (experimental animals), and at 2 and 4 months post-transection. ACL-transected (n=7) and sham-operated control (n=3) animals were anaesthetized and positioned in a stereotaxic frame. Motion of the tibia relative to the femur was quantified using reflective markers and a three-dimensional motion analysis system. External forces and moments in the transverse plane of the tibia were measured using force transducers based on a straingauge design. Results showed that the animals tolerated the procedures well and that systematic measurements could be obtained. Displacement at 15 N of anterior force and 30° of knee flexion increased by an average of 6 mm following ACL transection, and stiffness decreased by an average of 6 N/mm. At two months and four months following ACL transection, there were statistically significant reductions in this abnormal displacement (p=O.02 and p=O.00l respectively). Stiffness during anterior displacement of the tibia at 300 increased from immediately post-transection to four months (p=O.00S). At 90°, mean anterior displacement decreased from 5.1 mm immediately post-transection to 2.9 mm at four months. Of the rotational displacements tested, medial rotation at 30° of knee flexion was found to decrease, from the post-transection mean of 16.5° to 10.7° at four months, while changes in medial rotation at 90°, lateral rotation at 90°, and lateral rotation at 30° were not statistically significant. These results indicate changes in secondary constraints to tibial motion in response to knee instability. Femoral nerve stimulation produced a posterior displacement of the tibia throughout the duration of the study and did not show any trend towards change.

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Cited By (2)

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1998	Herzog W, Diet S, Suter E, Mayzus P, Leonard TR, Müller C, Wu JZ, Epstein M. Material and functional properties of articular cartilage and patellofemoral contact mechanics in an experimental model of osteoarthritis. J Biomech. December 1998;31(12):1137-1145.
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