Microarchitectural Changes to Subchondral Trabecular Bone in the Osteoarthritic Ankle

Description

In this presentation, Lekha Koria, a final year PhD student at the University of Leeds, discusses her research on microarchitectural changes to bone in the osteoarthritic ankle. Highlighting that over 1% of the global population suffers from ankle osteoarthritis, with more than 30,000 cases diagnosed annually in the UK, Lekha emphasizes the need for further exploration of this often neglected joint. Her study characterizes the structural changes in the subchondral bone associated with osteoarthritis by comparing specimens from patients undergoing total ankle arthroplasty with non-diseased controls. Using high-resolution micro-CT imaging, she examines several morphological properties, including bone density, trabecular thickness, and shape. The results reveal significant increases in bone volume fraction and trabecular thickness, alongside changes in trabecular shape, shifting from plate-like to rod-like structures in osteoarthritic samples. Lekha also discusses the implications of these findings for understanding the biomechanical strength of the ankle, which could inform treatment strategies. The presentation concludes with a brief interaction featuring questions regarding the mechanical versus biological influences on the observed changes in trabecular structure.

DOI: 10.1302/3114-221017

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