DEGENERATIVE CHANGES IN RAT ANKLE CARTILAGE INDUCED BY VARUS EXTRA-ARTICULAR FEMORAL DEFORMATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15674/0030-59872025499-107Keywords:
Ankle joint, articular cartilage, degeneration, femoral deformity, varus deformity, rat modelAbstract
Objective. To evaluate the structure of ankle joint articular cartilage in rats following experimentally induced deformation of the middle third of the femur over a six-month observation period. Methods. An experimental study was conducted on 18 sixmonthold male rats divided into two groups. In the experimental group, extra-articular femoral deformation was modeled by inserting a Kirschner wire fragment bent at a 35° angle into the medullary cavity; the control group remained intact. Animals were evaluated at 1, 3, and 6 months. Structural changes in the articular cartilage were assessed using the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) scale, and the height of the articular cartilage of the ankle joint was measured. Results. At 1 month, structural changes were observed only in the talar cartilage, corresponding to OARSI grades 0–1. At 3 months, changes in the tibial cartilage corresponded to grades 1–2, in the talar cartilage to grades 1–3, and in the contralateral limb to grades 0–1 for both surfaces. At 6 months, tibial cartilage changes reached grade 2, talar cartilage grade 2–3, and the contralateral limb grade 1–2. Cartilage height in rats with deformity decreased 1.2-fold from the 3rd month (p < 0.001) and did not differ from the contralateral limb at 6 months. Compared with intact rats, talar and tibial cartilage height in rats with deformity also decreased from the 3rd month by 1.4-fold (p < 0.001) and 1.1-fold (p = 0.022), respectively. Conclusions. Extra-articular deformation of the middle third of the femur induces degenerative changes in talar articular cartilage beginning at 1 month, and in tibial cartilage from 3 months after modeling.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Kostiantyn Romanenko, Nataliya Ashukina, Valentyna Maltseva
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