This information may influence the surgical technique used to treat large osseous Bankart fractures and the postoperative rehabilitation protocols implemented when such repair techniques are used.

This study found that all 6 fixation angle combinations significantly improved knee kinematics compared with the sectioned state at time zero; however, it is recommended that fixation of the PMB graft be performed at 0° because of the significant increases in PMB graft loading that occur with fixation at 15° and that fixation of the ALB graft be performed at 90° or 105° rather than 75° to minimize ALB graft forces, which could lead to graft attenuation or failure over time.

Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) develops as a result of traumatic loading that causes tears of the soft tissues in the knee. A modified transection model, where the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and both menisci were transected, was used on skeletally mature Flemish Giant rabbits. Gross morphological assessments, elastic moduli, and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) coverage of the menisci were determined to quantify the amount of tissue damage 12 weeks post injury. This study is one of the first to monitor meniscal changes after inducing combined meniscal and ACL transections. A decrease in elastic moduli as well as a decrease in GAG coverage was seen.

The objective of this study was to induce anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscal damage, via a single tibiofemoral compressive impact, in order to document articular cartilage and meniscal changes post impact. Tibiofemoral joints of Flemish Giant rabbits were subjected to a single blunt impact that ruptured the ACL and produced acute meniscal damage. Animals were allowed unrestricted cage activity for 12 weeks before euthanasia. India ink analysis of the articular cartilage revealed higher degrees of surface damage on the impacted tibias (p=0.018) and femurs (p<0.0001) compared to controls. Chronic meniscal damage was most prevalent in the medial central and medial posterior regions. Mechanical tests revealed an overall 19.4% increase in tibial plateau cartilage thickness (p=0.026), 34.8% increase in tibial plateau permeability (p=0.054), 40.8% increase in femoral condyle permeability (p=0.029), and 20.1% decrease in femoral condyle matrix modulus (p=0.012) in impacted joints compared to controls. Both the instantaneous and equilibrium moduli of the lateral and medial menisci were decreased compared to control (p<0.02). Histological analyses revealed significantly increased presence of fissures in the medial femur (p = 0.036). In both the meniscus and cartilage there was a significant decrease in GAG coverage for the impacted limbs. Based on these results it is clear that an unattended combined meniscal and ACL injury results in significant changes to the soft tissues in this experimental joint 12 weeks post injury. Such changes are consistent with a clinical description of mid to late stage PTOA of the knee.

The results of this study suggest that SB PCL graft fixation angles of 75°, 90°, and 105° were comparable in restoring knee kinematics and exposed the graft to similar time-zero loads. However, SB PCLRs did not fully reduce knee laxity to the intact state.