Morphologic and morphometric changes in synovial membrane associated with mechanically induced osteoarthrosis

Abstract

We sought to determine whether synovial leukocytic inflammation is a primary event in mechanically induced osteoarthrosis. Repetitive impulse loading (50 ms duration at 60 Hz for 40 minutes each day) was applied to the right hindlimbs of 24 New Zealand white rabbits for 3, 6, or 9 weeks. The synovial membrane from the medial suprapatellar area was examined qualitatively using transmission electron microscopy and quantitatively using light microscopic morphometry. The results indicate that synovial inflammation is not a primary event in this mechanically induced osteoarthrosis, but synovial hyperplasia occurs prior to histologically evident cartilage destruction at 6–9 weeks.