Histopathological analysis of the posterior cruciate ligament in primary osteoarthritis.

Background: According to some authors, the indication of an arthroplasty maintaining the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) demands adequate structural preservation and proprioceptive function of this ligament. The nervous fibers contained in the synovial neurovascular bundle (NVB) around the PCL are involved in proprioception. A study evaluating the grade of PCL and NVB degeneration by using clinical, radiological, and perioperative parameters in knee arthritis patients, in theory, could help surgeons in the decision of preserving or not preserving the PCL in a particular patient.

Immunohistochemical analysis of the neural structures of the posterior cruciate ligament in osteoarthritis patients submitted to total knee arthroplasty: an analysis of thirty-four cases.

Objectives: Many authors recommend posterior cruciate ligament-retaining arthroplasty with the intention to maintain the proprioception properties of this ligament. Preservation of the neuroreceptors and nervous fibers may be essential for retaining the proprioception function of the posterior cruciate ligament. The present study was thus developed to evaluate the presence of neural structures in the posterior cruciate ligament resected during posterior stabilized arthroplasty in osteoarthritis patients.