THREE- DIMENSIONAL RECONSTRUCTION OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE FIBERS : ULTRASTRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF CHANGES OF FIBER ORIENTATION IN JOINT CONTRACTURE

2001 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 12832021
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Institution: Nagoya University
• Principal Investigator: KOBAYACHI Kunihiko School of Health Sciences, Nagoya University, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (30001051)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KOEDA Tomoko School of Health Sciences, Nagoya University, Reseach Associate, 医学部, 助手 (20223050) ; SUZUKI Shigeyuki School of Health Sciences, Nagoya University, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (60179215) ; IDA Kunio School of Health Sciences, Nagoya University, Professor, 医学部, 教授 (10115529) ; KIYAMA Takahiro School of Health Sciences, Nagoya University, Associata Professor, 医学部, 助教授 (10177941) ; ISHIDA Kazuto School of Health Sciences, Nagoya University, Reseach Associate, 医学部, 助手 (10303653)
• Project Period (FY): 2000 – 2001
• Keywords: joint contracture / joints contracture model / posterior part of the joint capsule / apoplectic model / contractured cadaver / dense connective tissue fibers / histological examination / measurement of range of motion (ROM)

Research Abstract

In order to get basic data for management/prevention of contracture, we seached ;
1) Model building for contracture:.In addtition to contracture model by fixation of the joint, possible contracture formation by apoplexy was examined. Paralysed rats recovered within one week, so extremity joints did not show contracture.
2) Establishment of objective measurement of joint contracture: Range of motion (ROM) of a joint was measured by applying known amounts of force. The correlation curves were different between contractured and normal rats. In the measurement of ROM of joints of cadaver and normal young people, force-ROM curve showed biphasic.
3) Analysis of restricting element(s) of heavily contractured cadaver: Muscle tendons, vasculature, andjoint capsule around the knee joint of heavily contractured cadaver were sequentially cut and ROM was measured with known amounts of force. Extension was restricted even when all the tendons were cut, and full extension was possible only after the cut of posterior part of the joint capsule.
4) Histology of posterior part of knee joint of heavily contractured cadaver: Dense connective tissue fibers run horizontaly and perpendicularly. It was poor in vasculature and loose connective tisuue.
5) Histology of tissue aroundknee joint of apoplexed rat: Muscle atrophy and relative increase of connective tissue were evident.