1994 Volume 40 Issue 7 Pages 723-728
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects of surgical incision and suture on the retrodiscal tissue of the temporomandibular joint. Twenty rabbits were used in this study. They were killed 1 week (5 animals), 24 weeks (5 animals), and 72 weeks (5 animals) after surgery. Five animals without surgery were used as controls. The temporomandibular joints were removed en bloc. The specimens were fixed in 10% formalin for 10 days and decalcified for 7 days in a solution consisting of sodium citrate and formic acid. They were then embedded in paraffin in the conventional manner and 6-μm sections were prepared and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. The postsurgical experimental and control animals were compared by microscopic examination. The results were as follows:
One week after surgery, distinct signs of local inflammation were not seen at the retrodiscal incision. The collagen fibers in the retrodiscal incision were randomly oriented. Degenerative changes were not observed in the temporomandibular joints. Twenty-four weeks after surgery, the incision within the retrodiscal tissue had almost completely healed and appeared to be normal. Seventy-two weeks after surgery, no discontinuity defects were found in the retrodiscal tissue, and neither degenerative nor destructive changes were observed on the disc, condyle, or eminence.
