An experimental study of stored-tendon allograft following discectomy in the rabbit temporomandibular joint.

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The disc has important biomechanical functions for the temporomandibular joint. However, the pathologic disc has to be removed from painful refractory internally deranged or osteoarthritic temporomandibular joint. There are no ideal interpositional materials at present that can protect articular cartilage from degenerative arthritis following discectomy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the protective effect of disc replacement with stored tendon allograft after disc removal in the rabbit temporomandibular joint.Thirty Japanese. white rabbits were divided into 3 surgical groups as follows : In group 1, unilateral discectomy alone was carried out. In group 2, glutaraldehyde(GA)treated allogenic tendon was grafted as an interpositional material after discectomy. In group 3, epoxy(E)treated allogenic tendon was grafted after discectomy. GA or E was used as a cross-linking agent for tendon collagen. The animals were killed at 3rd post-operative month. The TMJs were removed en bloc, histologically processed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin.Disc replacement with E-treated tendon allografts seems to give promising short-term results following discectomy. GA-treated tendon allografts also have protective effects on condylar articular cartilage. However, in most series, the both GA-treated and Etreated tendon allografts were difficult to survive after disc removal in the temporomandibular joint. The risk of tendon-graft shrinkage or resorption was not prevented.