MORPHOMETRIC ASSESSMENT OF FEMORAL CONDYLAR PARAMETERS IN GUJARAT REGION AND ITS CLINICAL RELEVANCE : AN OSTEOLOGICAL STUDY

The Femur is the longest and strongest bone of the lower limb in which there is a groove present on anterior side and a notch present on posterior side. The anterior groove is called as patella-femoral groove and posterior notch is called Intercondylar (IC) Notch. There are two most important ligaments are connected with notch called Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL), associated by embryological and cognitive to the notch.The aim of this study is to find out the condylar parameters of femur. We obtained 50 completely ossified dry femur of both sides from Department of Anatomy, SBKSMIRC, Sumandeep Vidyapeeth. The Mean ± SDof femoral parameters were measured and correlation were also calculated between various parameters which is found to be positively correlated.It guides to the anatomists as well as Orthopaedicians and forensic practices also.

The mechanical properties of tibiofemoral and patellofemoral articular cartilage in compression depend on anatomical regions

Articular cartilage in knee joint can be anatomically divided into different regions: medial and lateral condyles of femur; patellar groove of femur; medial and lateral plateaus of tibia covered or uncovered by meniscus. The stress–strain curves of cartilage in uniaxially unconfined compression demonstrate strain rate dependency and exhibit distinct topographical variation among these seven regions. The femoral cartilage is stiffer than the tibial cartilage, and the cartilage in femoral groove is stiffest in the knee joint. Compared with the uncovered area, the area covered with meniscus shows the stiffer properties. To investigate the origin of differences in macroscopic mechanical properties, histological analysis of cartilage in seven regions are conducted. The differences are discussed in terms of the cartilage structure, composition content and distribution. Furthermore, the commonly used constitutive models for biological tissues, namely Fung, Ogden and Gent models, are employed to fit the experimental data, and Fung and Ogden models are found to be qualified in representing the stiffening effect of strain rate.

Transplantation of Aggregates of Autologous Synovial Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Treatment of Cartilage Defects in the Femoral Condyle and the Femoral Groove in Microminipigs

Background: Previous work has demonstrated that patients with cartilage defects of the knee benefit from arthroscopic transplantation of autologous synovial mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in terms of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), qualitative histologic findings, and Lysholm score. However, the effectiveness was limited by the number of cells obtained, so large-sized defects (>500 mm2) were not investigated. The use of MSC aggregates may enable treatment of larger defects by increasing the number of MSCs adhering to the cartilage defect. Purpose: To investigate whether transplantation of aggregates of autologous synovial MSCs with 2-step surgery could promote articular cartilage regeneration in microminipig osteochondral defects. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: Synovial MSCs derived from a microminipig were examined for in vitro colony-forming and multidifferentiation abilities. An aggregate of 250,000 synovial MSCs was formed with hanging drop culture, and 16 aggregates (for each defect) were implanted on both osteochondral defects (6 × 6 × 1.5 mm) created in the medial femoral condyle and femoral groove (MSC group). The defects in the contralateral knee were left empty (control group). The knee joints were evaluated at 4 and 12 weeks by macroscopic findings and histology. MRI T1rho mapping images were acquired at 12 weeks. For cell tracking, synovial MSCs were labeled with ferucarbotran before aggregate formation and were observed with MRI at 1 week. Results: Synovial MSCs showed in vitro colony-forming and multidifferentiation abilities. Regenerative cartilage formation was significantly better in the MSC group than in the control group, as indicated by International Cartilage Repair Society score (macro), modified Wakitani score (histology), and T1rho mapping (biochemical MRI) in the medial condyle at 12 weeks. Implanted cells, labeled with ferucarbotran, were observed in the osteochondral defects at 1 week with MRI. No significant difference was noted in the modified Wakitani score at 4 weeks in the medial condyle and at 4 and 12 weeks in the femoral groove. Conclusion: Transplantation of autologous synovial MSC aggregates promoted articular cartilage regeneration at the medial femoral condyle at 12 weeks in microminipigs. Clinical Relevance: Aggregates of autologous synovial MSCs could expand the indications for cartilage repair with synovial MSCs.

Two Patients with Osteochondral Injury of the Weight-Bearing Portion of the Lateral Femoral Condyle Associated with Lateral Dislocation of the Patella

Complications of patellar dislocation include osteochondral injury of the lateral femoral condyle and patella. Most cases of osteochondral injury occur in the anterior region, which is the non-weight-bearing portion of the lateral femoral condyle. We describe two patients with osteochondral injury of the weight-bearing surface of the lateral femoral condyle associated with lateral dislocation of the patella. The patients were 18- and 11-year-old females. Osteochondral injury occurred on the weight-bearing surface distal to the lateral femoral condyle. The presence of a free osteochondral fragment and osteochondral injury of the lateral femoral condyle was confirmed on MRI and reconstruction CT scan. Treatment consisted of osteochondral fragment fixation or microfracture, as well as patellar stabilization. Osteochondral injury was present in the weight-bearing portion of the lateral femoral condyle in both patients, suggesting that the injury was caused by friction between the patella and lateral femoral condyle when the patella was dislocated or reduced at about 90° flexion of the knee joint. These findings indicate that patellar dislocation may occur and osteochondral injury may extend to the weight-bearing portion of the femur even in deep flexion, when the patella is stabilized on the bones of the femoral groove.

Mechanical anisotropy of the human knee articular cartilage in compression

Articular cartilage exhibits anisotropic mechanical properties when subjected to tension. However, mechanical anisotropy of mature cartilage in compression is poorly known. In this study, both confined and unconfined compression tests of cylindrical cartilage discs, taken from the adult human patello-femoral groove and cut either perpendicular (normal disc) or parallel (tangential disc) to the articular surface, were utilized to determine possible anisotropy in Young's modulus, E, aggregate modulus, Ha, Poisson's ratio, v and hydraulic permeability, k, of articular cartilage. The results indicated that Ha was significantly higher in the direction parallel to the articular surface as compared with the direction perpendicular to the surface ( Ha = 1.237 ± 0.486 MPa versus Ha = 0.845 ± 0.383 MPa, p = 0.017, n = 10). The values of Poisson's ratio were similar, 0.158 ± 0.148 for normal discs compared with 0.180 ± 0.046 for tangential discs. Analysis using the linear biphasic model revealed that the decrease of permeability during the offset compression of 0–20 per cent was higher ( p = 0.015, n = 10) in normal (from 25.5 × 10− 15 to 1.8 × 10−15 m4/N s) than in tangential (from 12.3 × 10− 15 to 1.3 × 10− 15 m4/N s) discs. Based on the results, it is concluded that the mechanical characteristics of adult femoral groove articular cartilage are anisotropic also during compression. Anisotropy during compression may be essential for normal cartilage function. This property has to be considered when developing advanced theoretical models for cartilage biomechanics.