DOS 2018

DOS Kongressen 2018 · 149 Take good care of your menisci; once build, they don’t renew Christoffer Våben, Katja Heinemeier, Peter Schjerling, Michael Mørk Petersen, Michael Kjær, Michael Krogsgaard Section for Sports Traumatology M51, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery M, Bispebjerg-Frederiksberg Hospital; Institute of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery M,, Bispebjerg Hospital, Center for Healthy Aging, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen; Musculoskeletal Tumor Section, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rigshospitalet, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen Background: The meniscus is essential for weight distribution in the knee joint and preservation of joint cartilage. The architectural structure of meniscal col- lagen is the basis for its weight absorbing properties. Injury and degeneration of menisci are the most common symptomatic conditions of the knee, and their treatment has been subject to debate during the recent years. The con- tent of water and glycosaminoglycans (GAG) in menisci adapts through life, but can collagen renew to reduce meniscal degeneration and support repair after meniscal injury? Purpose / Aim of Study: This study explores the collagen turnover in both healthy and osteoarthritis (OA) menisci by the “14C bomb-pulse method”. Secondarily, water-, GAG-, and collagen content was measured. Materials and Methods: Menisci from 18 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and 7 patients with normal knees born before, during and after the bomb- pulse peak, went through a collagen purification process and were analyzed for 14C-content. Furthermore, the water-, GAG-, and collagen content was ana- lyzed in raw menisci. Findings / Results: We demonstrated a very low turnover of the collagen in menisci after they had matured during teen-age in knees with osteoarthritis as well as in and healthy knees. There was no difference between medial and lateral meniscus or between the central and the capsular part of the menisci. There was no difference in water content between menisci from healthy and OA knees, but a higher GAG content in OA menisci and an insignificant trend of lower collagen content in OA menisci. Conclusions: We conclude that human menisci have practically no potential to repair or renew the natural collagen meshwork once the menisci have matured at teen- age. Prevention of degeneration and injury is therefore essential in re- search on how to reduce the burden of meniscal disease. 90.