Correlation of dynamic impact testing, histopathology and visual macroscopic assessment in human osteoarthritic cartilage
2011
Abstract
Improved staging of cartilage degeneration is required, particularly during the early stages. We correlated mechanical properties with histological and macroscopic findings.One hundred and twenty cartilage samples were obtained during total knee arthroplasty.Dynamic impact testing was performed; normal stress, dissipated energy, tangent modulus and stiffness were evaluated.
Samples were classified according to six categories of the ICRS histological scale. A strong relation was revealed between relative deltaE and cartilage thickness.
Only deltaE correlated with the condition of the cartilage-the value increased with decreasing quality-and is the most suitable characteristic.