HEALING OF THE MCL--INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

该项目的主要目标是将 的形态学、生物力学和生物化学特性。 模型滑膜关节中的韧带愈合过程。 临床医生 经常需要做出关于膝关节治疗的决定， 涉及多条韧带损伤的损伤。 但 对于单膝韧带的优选治疗可能非常不同 另一条膝盖韧带 最近，孤立的中间 侧副韧带（MCL）损伤的治疗 非手术，而手术重建往往是 前交叉韧带（ACL）撕裂的建议。 通常，损伤涉及MCL和ACL，然而， ACL重建对MCL愈合的影响尚未被 定义，也没有额外的治疗效果 养生法 这些复合伤的次优治疗通常会导致 导致关节持续不稳定 虽然各种治疗方法 虽然被推荐，但很少有客观的比较， 结果 因此，我们设计了研究来评估 ACL等变量影响和相互关系 横断、ACL重建、每日外翻负荷程序，以及 生长因子对MCL愈合过程的影响。 我们还将评估 MCL的功能作用及其损伤和随后的 愈合将改变膝关节的运动学。 受伤 模型将包括MCL的破裂;严重损害了 韧带中质及其与骨的附着点。 的时间过程 将从形态学上研究MCL愈合长达一年的时间， 从生物力学和生物化学的角度来看。 获得的相关数据 从这些跨学科的方法应该允许我们更好地 了解MCL物质和 韧带止点到骨头 我们预计这些知识 将最终改善对患有 合并MCL+ACL损伤。

The primary objective of this project is to correlate the morphological, biomechanical, and biochemical properties of the ligament healing processes in a model synovial joint. Clinicians often need to make decisions regarding the treatment of knee injuries involving damage to more than one ligament. However, the preferred treatment for one knee ligament may be very different from that for another knee ligament. Recently, isolated medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries have been treated non-operatively, whereas surgical reconstruction is frequently recommended for a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Frequently, injuries involve both the MCL and ACL, and yet, the influence of ACL reconstruction on MCL healing has not been defined, nor has the effectiveness of additional treatment regimens. The suboptimal treatment of these combined injuries generally leads to persistent joint instability. Although various treatments have been recommended, there are few objective comparisons of their results. Therefore, we have designed studies to evaluate the influence and interrelationship of variables such as ACL transection, ACL reconstruction, daily valgus loading programs, and growth factors on the MCL healing process. We also will evaluate the functional role of the MCL and how its injury and subsequent healing would change the kinematics of the knee joint. The injury model will include rupture of the MCL; severely damaging both the ligament midsubstance and its insertions to bone. The time course of MCL healing up to one year will be studied morphologically, biomechanically, and biochemically. The correlated data obtained from these interdisciplinary approaches should permit us to better understand the healing processes of both the MCL substance and the ligament insertions to bone. We anticipate that such knowledge will ultimately lead to improved treatment for patients with combined MCL+ACL injuries.