THE FUNCTION OF SEMILUNAR CARTILAGES

¹ The Division of Orthopaedics, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, San Francisco, California

In four joints the capsule was opened without disturbing the semilunar cartilages. No degeneration of the articular cartilages occurred (ninety days).

In four joints the anterior thirds of the internal semilunar cartilages were excised. The excised portions were replaced by an ingrowth of firm connective tissue from the synovial membrane, grossly not unlike fibrocartilage. The articular cartilages of the tibial and femoral condyles were slightly degenerated (125 days).

Similar changes were observed following removal of the middle (four joints) and the posterior thirds (four joints). [SEE THE FIGURE 6-A, 6-B, 6-C, 7-A and 7-B IN SOURCE PDF]

When the internal semilunar cartilages were completely extirpated or subtotally excised (three joints) an excellent false cartilage was formed, but a severe degeneration of the articular cartilages took place (especially in the older dogs).

Partial excision of the external semilunar cartilages (four joints) was followed by articular cartilage degeneration, but practically no false-cartilage formation.

There was no false-cartilage formation and very little articular degeneration following removal of the internal half of the medial semilunar cartilages (four joints). [SEE THE FIGURE 8 AND 9 IN SOURCE PDF]

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