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THE ROUND LIGAMENT IN DEVELOPMENTAL HIP DYSPLASIA: ARE ITS MECHANICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL PROPERTIES PRESERVED?
Alexandre Zuccon1,2, Hamilton DA Rosa Pereira1, Sérgio Alexandre Alcântara Dos Santos3
1. Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, Department of Surgery and Orthopedics, Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
Acta Ortopedica Brasileira
|April 18, 2022
Summary
This study found that while unstable hips show histological changes in the round ligament (RL), biomechanical tests and zymography reveal no significant differences compared to stable hips.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Developmental Biology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- The round ligament (RL) is encountered during open surgical reduction of dislocated hips.
- Its preservation and functional significance remain subjects of debate in orthopedic surgery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the biomechanical and histological properties of the round ligament in a rabbit model of congenital hip dislocation.
- To assess the functional importance of the round ligament in hip instability.
Main Methods:
- Skeletally immature rabbits with induced hip dislocation were used.
- Analyses included biomechanics, zymography, histology, and immunohistochemistry.
- The unstable hip side was compared to the contralateral control side within each animal.
Main Results:
- Biomechanical testing showed no significant differences in maximal strength or deformation of the RL between unstable and control hips.
- Histological analysis revealed increased cellularity but decreased collagen occupancy in the RL of unstable hips.
- Zymography indicated no significant difference in active matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) levels.
Conclusions:
- Despite histological alterations in the round ligament associated with hip instability, biomechanical integrity and MMP-2 activity remain largely unchanged.
- These findings suggest that the round ligament may possess resilience or compensatory mechanisms in the context of hip dislocation.
