Abstract
BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to quantify the meniscal root anatomy of the New Zealand white rabbit to better understand this animal model for future in vitro and in vivo joint degeneration studies.MethodsTen non-paired fresh frozen New Zealand white rabbit knee stifle joints were carefully disarticulated for this study. Measurements were made for all bony landmarks and ligamentous structure attachment sites on the tibial plateau. The following soft tissue structures were consistently identified in the rabbit stifle joint: the anterior root attachment of the lateral meniscus, the anterior root attachment of the medial meniscus, the anterior cruciate ligament, the posterior root attachment of the medial meniscus, the ligament of Wrisberg, the posterior cruciate ligament, and the posterior meniscotibial ligament. The following bony landmarks were consistently identified: the extensor digitorum longus groove, the medial tibial eminence, the center of the tibial tuberosity, and the lateral tibial eminence.ResultsThe center of the anterior cruciate ligament and the medial tibial eminence apex were found to be 3.4 ± 0.3 mm (2.9–3.6) and 6.1 ± 0.6 mm (5.1–7.0) respectively from the center of the medical anterior root attachment. The center of the anterior cruciate ligament and the lateral tibial eminence apex were found to be 2.1 ± 0.5 mm (1.2–2.7) and 7.0 ± 0.6 mm (6.4–8.2) respectively from the center of the lateral anterior root attachment. The center of the posterior cruciate ligament and the medial tibial eminence apex were found to be 2.0 ± 0.7 mm (0.5–2.6) and 1.8 ± 0.4 mm (1.2–2.4) respectively from the center of the medial posterior root attachment.ConclusionsThis study augments our understanding of the comparative anatomy of the rabbit stifle joint. This information will be useful for future biomechanical, surgical, and in vitro studies utilizing the rabbit stifle as a model for human knee joint degenerative diseases.
Highlights
The purpose of this study was to quantify the meniscal root anatomy of the New Zealand white rabbit to better understand this animal model for future in vitro and in vivo joint degeneration studies
Bony anatomy The rabbit tibial plateau consisted of well-defined medial and lateral plateaus corresponding to the respective compartments
Medial and lateral tibial eminences were present in all 10 specimens and located posterior to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tibial attachment and anterior to the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tibial attachment (Fig. 1)
Summary
The purpose of this study was to quantify the meniscal root anatomy of the New Zealand white rabbit to better understand this animal model for future in vitro and in vivo joint degeneration studies. Studies have reported that rabbits can serve as a useful animal model for studying knee osteoarthritis due to the similarities between the human knee and rabbit. The effectiveness of a rabbit model as a translational model for meniscal root tears needs to be further investigated and compared to recent anatomical studies on the human meniscal roots (Johannsen et al 2012; LaPrade et al 2014; Proffen et al 2012; Brody et al 2007). Before in vivo experiments in rabbits are carried out, the anatomy of the meniscal roots needs to be understood to determine the feasibility of translating the findings into clinically significant results for humans
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
