Contrasting alterations of apposed and unapposed articular cartilage during joint contracture formation.

Objective: To quantify histologic articular cartilage alterations after immobilization, distinguishing between apposed and unapposed sites in an animal model of joint contracture.

Design: Experimental controlled trial.

Setting: Laboratory, in vivo study.

Animals: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (N=128).

Interventions: One hundred seventeen animals had 1 knee internally immobilized or sham-operated for 2, 4, 8, 16, or 32 weeks. One knee in 11 nonoperated animals served as controls. Main outcome measures On standardized sections, we identified femur and tibia cartilage sites that were apposed or that were unapposed. We quantified 4 characteristics: number of chondrocytes in the superficial and deep cartilage; matrix staining intensity to toluidine blue; surface irregularity of articular cartilage; and thickness of cartilage.

Results: Immobilized knees harbored fewer chondrocytes in the superficial cartilage at apposed sites and in the deep cartilage at unapposed sites. Matrix staining decreased only at unapposed sites. Cartilage surface became significantly more irregular at both sites but cartilage thickness remained unchanged. Noncartilaginous tissues appeared only at unapposed sites in the superficial and deep cartilage.

Conclusions: Immobilization led to contrasting patterns of cartilage degeneration at apposed sites compared with unapposed sites. These results suggest distinct pathogenetic pathways for cartilage alterations, possibly through absence of mechanical forces (negative mechanotransduction) at unapposed sites and cyclic pressure at apposed sites. Considering the limited potential for cartilage self-repair, these results support the need for early diagnosis and aggressive mobilization of joints that are developing contractures.