Experimental animal modelsMRI and histology of collagen template disc implantation and regeneration in rabbit temporomandibular joint: preliminary report☆
Section snippets
Materials and methods
Adult male New Zealand rabbits (n = 24; 3 months of age; 2.5 kg) were divided into five groups: group A, partial discectomy without implantation (n = 6); group B, partial discectomy with reconstituted collagen template implantation (n = 6); group C; partial discectomy with subdermal graft implantation (n = 6); group D, sham operation (n = 4); and group E, normal control (n = 2). All MRI studies were performed at week 0 (baseline) and at 3 months after surgery. All rabbits were sacrificed after
Results
The average weight of rabbits in the four groups at 3 months was 1.2 kg (group A), 1.5 (group B), 1.4 (group C), and 1.8 kg (group D), representing a gain over baseline. In group E, MR images showed well-delineated concave morphology of low signal intensity discs in the coronal plane. The histology revealed that the discs were coronally concave in shape and composed of dense connective tissue. In group D, all sham-operated TMJ discs had morphology and signal intensity similar to other discs on
Discussion
Alteration of the distribution of proteoglycans and water content can contribute to the signal changes in the MRI of the TMJ disc.5 The MRI contrast agent used in the present study has two negative charges, which should accumulate in the tissue inversely to the negative charges of glycosaminoglycans of the proteoglycans in cartilage, resulting in a decreased T1 relaxation time of the tissue. Our findings support the observation by previous authors6 that the MRI appearance of TMJ discs and
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This study was supported in part by grants (NSC89-2320-B-038-018-M08) from the National Science Council in Taiwan.