膝半月板切除術後の変形性関節症発生に関する実験的研究

抄録

An experimental effort to determine the degenerative effects in the articular cartilage of the joint caused by meniscectomy was performed by doing total meniscectomy on the medial compartment of dogs' knees. At intervals of 1 to 9 months dogs were sacrificed and osteoarthritic changes of the knee joint were observed roentagenologically, macroscopically and histologically. Electron microscopic pathological changes in the articular cartilage were also studied.
Results indicated that removal of the meniscus in itself can lead to degenerative changes in the knee joint and the meniscus plays an important role in protecting articular cartilage from degenerative changes. Therefore in care of the human knee, the meniscus should be removed only when it is abnormal and interfering with normal knee joint function.