Tibiofemoral joint structural change from 2.5 to 4.5 years following ACL reconstruction with and without combined meniscal pathology

• Published in: BMC musculoskeletal disorders 2019-07, Vol.20 (1), p.312-312, Article 312
• Main Authors: Wang, Xinyang, Bennell, Kim L, Wang, Yuanyuan, Wrigley, Tim V, Van Ginckel, Ans, Fortin, Karine, Saxby, David J, Cicuttini, Flavia M, Lloyd, David G, Vertullo, Christopher J, Feller, Julian A, Whitehead, Tim, Gallie, Price, Bryant, Adam L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Anterior cruciate ligament; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries - complications; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries - surgery; Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction - adverse effects; Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction; post-traumatic osteoarthritis; magnetic resonance imaging; Arthroscopy - adverse effects; Bone Marrow - diagnostic imaging; Bone Marrow - pathology; Bone marrow lesions; Care and treatment; Cartilage defect; Cartilage volume; Cartilage, Articular - diagnostic imaging; Cartilage, Articular - pathology; Development and progression; Diagnostic imaging; Female; Humans; Hypertrophy; Knee Joint - diagnostic imaging; Knee Joint - pathology; Longitudinal Studies; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Orthopedic surgery; Osteoarthritis; Osteoarthritis, Knee - epidemiology; Osteoarthritis, Knee - etiology; Osteoarthritis, Knee - pathology; Postoperative Complications - epidemiology; Postoperative Complications - etiology; Postoperative Complications - pathology; Surgery; Tibia - diagnostic imaging; Tibia - pathology; Tibial Meniscus Injuries - complications; Tibial Meniscus Injuries - surgery; Time Factors; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1471-2474; 1471-2474
• DOI: 10.1186/s12891-019-2687-9

People who have had anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) are at a high risk of developing tibiofemoral joint (TFJ) osteoarthritis (OA), with concomitant meniscal injury elevating this risk. This study aimed to investigate OA-related morphological change over 2 years in the TFJ among individuals who have undergone ACLR with or without concomitant meniscal pathology and in healthy controls. A secondary aim was to examine associations of baseline TFJ cartilage defects and bone marrow lesions (BML) scores with tibial cartilage volume change in ACLR groups. Fifty seven ACLR participants aged 18-40 years (32 isolated ACLR, 25 combined meniscal pathology) underwent knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 2.5 and 4.5 years post-surgery. Nine healthy controls underwent knee MRI at the ~ 2-year intervals. Tibial cartilage volume, TFJ cartilage defects and BMLs were assessed from MRI. For both ACLR groups, medial and lateral tibial cartilage volume increased over 2 years (P