Rats were anesthetized with 4% isoflurane. The right knee was shaved, aseptically prepared with 90% alcohol, and exposed for surgery. For all groups, the same surgical approach was performed according to the standard incision performed in arthroplasty, prosthesis placement, and treatment of severe OA procedures in humans. This approach was also carried out in a previous experiment by this research group (Filho et al., 2021 (link)). It involves an anterior surgical approach to the knee, followed by medial parapatellar arthrotomy and lateral patellar dislocation, allowing access to the medial compartment of the knee of the animals (INSALL, 1971 (link)).
In OA groups, a meniscectomy of the medial meniscus was performed. Complete resection of the medial meniscus of the right hind limb was performed with a cold scalpel blade. In the Sham group, only the surgical approach was performed, without meniscectomy, followed by incision closure in two planes. There was no access to the lateral compartment of the joint and no additional ligament resection in any of the procedures. The central ligaments of the knee (anterior and posterior cruciate) and collateral ligaments (lateral and medial) were preserved. After reducing the patellar dislocation, the surgical incisions were closed in two planes with mono nylon sutures.
In OA groups, a meniscectomy of the medial meniscus was performed. Complete resection of the medial meniscus of the right hind limb was performed with a cold scalpel blade. In the Sham group, only the surgical approach was performed, without meniscectomy, followed by incision closure in two planes. There was no access to the lateral compartment of the joint and no additional ligament resection in any of the procedures. The central ligaments of the knee (anterior and posterior cruciate) and collateral ligaments (lateral and medial) were preserved. After reducing the patellar dislocation, the surgical incisions were closed in two planes with mono nylon sutures.
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