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Light microscopic histology of quadriceps tendon ruptures

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Abstract

Purpose

To assess histological changes and possible differences in the quadriceps of patients undergoing open repair of the tendon after spontaneous rupture, and subjects with no history of tendon pathology.

Materials

Biopsies were harvested from the quadriceps tendon of 46 patients (34 men, 12 women) who had reported unilateral atraumatic quadriceps tendon rupture and had undergone surgical repair of the tendon. Samples were also harvested from both the tendons in 11 (N = 11 × 2) patients, nine males and two females, dying from cardiovascular disorders. For each tendon, three slides were randomly selected and examined under light microscopy, and assessed using a semiquantitative grading scale (range 0–21) which considers fibre structure, fibre arrangement, rounding of the nuclei, regional variations in cellularity, increased vascularity, decreased collagen stainability, and hyalinisation.

Results

The pathological sum-score averaged 19.2 ± 3.7 in ruptured tendons and 5.6 ± 2.0 in controls, and all variables considered were significantly different between the two groups, showing an association between tendon abnormalities and rupture (0.05 < P < 0.001).

Conclusion

This study confirms that the presence of histological degenerative changes in torn quadriceps tendons increases the risk of rupture.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Mile End Hospital, 275 Bancroft Road, London, E1 4DG, England, UK

    Nicola Maffulli

  2. Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Biomedico University, Via Alvaro del Portillo, 200, 00128, Trigoria, Rome, Italy

    Angelo Del Buono, Filippo Spiezia, Umile Giuseppe Longo & Vincenzo Denaro

Authors
  1. Nicola Maffulli
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  2. Angelo Del Buono
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  3. Filippo Spiezia
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  4. Umile Giuseppe Longo
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  5. Vincenzo Denaro
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Correspondence to Nicola Maffulli.

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Maffulli, N., Del Buono, A., Spiezia, F. et al. Light microscopic histology of quadriceps tendon ruptures. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 36, 2367–2371 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-012-1637-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-012-1637-z

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