Promotion of healing after medial meniscus posterior root repair

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K09279
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56020:Orthopedics-related
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: Furumatsu Takayuki 岡山大学, 大学病院, 講師 (20432651)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 半月板 / 関節軟骨 / 超音波

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Meniscal cells and chondrocytes were isolated and cultured from the medial meniscus and knee articular cartilage. The obtained meniscal cells maintained fibroblast-like characteristics and showed chondrocyte-like characteristics. Gene expression of type II collagen and SOX9 in the obtained chondrocytes was also confirmed.
No changes were observed in the cell proliferation ability of both meniscal cells and chondrocytes under ultrasound stimulation. On the other hand, it was confirmed that the root cells obtained from the tissue around the posterior root attachment of the medial meniscus maintained different characteristics from the meniscus cells obtained from meniscal body.

Free Research Field

整形外科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

内側半月板後根断裂（medial meniscus posterior root tear, MMPRT）は中高年者に好発する半月板損傷である。MMPRT受傷後、比較的早い段階で診断され、関節鏡下半月板縫合術の適応を満たす場合には、pullout修復術の術後臨床成績は良好である。MMPRTの診断・手術法などに関しては多くの知見が集まり、一定のコンセンサスが得られつつある。しかし、pullout修復術後に少しでも組織修復を促進させる技術は確立していない。本研究は、半月板後根細胞を超音波刺激により活性化することで組織修復を促進させ、手術後の臨床成績を改善させることを目的とした。