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Orientation changes in the cruciate ligaments of the knee during skeletal growth: A porcine model
Author(s) -
Cone Stephanie G.,
Simpson Sean G.,
Piedrahita Jorge A.,
Fordham Lynn A.,
Spang Jeffrey T.,
Fisher Matthew B.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of orthopaedic research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.041
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1554-527X
pISSN - 0736-0266
DOI - 10.1002/jor.23594
Subject(s) - anterior cruciate ligament , sagittal plane , coronal plane , medicine , cruciate ligament , posterior cruciate ligament , magnetic resonance imaging , anatomy , ligament , orthopedic surgery , orthodontics , surgery , radiology
Musculoskeletal injuries in pediatric patients are on the rise, including significant increases in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. Previous studies have found major anatomical changes during skeletal growth in the soft tissues of the knee. Specifically, the ACL and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) change in their relative orientation to the tibial plateau throughout growth. In order to develop age‐specific treatments for ACL injuries, the purpose of this study was to characterize orientation changes in the cruciate ligaments of the Yorkshire pig, a common pre‐clinical model, during skeletal growth in order to verify the applicability of this model for pediatric musculoskeletal studies. Hind limbs were isolated from female Yorkshire pigs ranging in age from newborn to late adolescence and were then imaged using high field strength magnetic resonance imaging. Orientation changes were quantified from the magnetic resonance images using image segmentation software. Statistically significant increases were found in the coronal and sagittal angles of the ACL relative to the tibial plateau during pre‐adolescent growth. Additional changes were observed in the PCL angle, Blumensaat angle, intercondylar roof angle, and the aspect ratio of the intercondylar notch. Only the sagittal angle of the ACL relative to the tibial plateau experienced statistically significant changes through late adolescence. The age‐dependent properties of the ACL and PCL in the female pig mirrored results found in female human patients, suggesting that the porcine model may provide a pre‐clinical platform to study the cruciate ligaments during skeletal growth. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:2725–2732, 2017.