Application of Acupotomy in a Knee Osteoarthritis Model in Rabbit

Summary

In this protocol, a knee osteoarthritis model was prepared using the modified Videman method, and the operation procedures and precautions of acupotomy are detailed. The effectiveness of acupotomy has been demonstrated by testing the mechanical properties of quadriceps femoris and tendon and the mechanical and morphological properties of cartilage.

Abstract

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is one of the most frequently encountered diseases in the orthopedic department, which seriously reduces the quality of life of people with KOA. Among several pathogenic factors, the biomechanical imbalance of the knee joint is one of the main causes of KOA. Acupotomology believes that restoring the mechanical balance of the knee joint is the key to treating KOA. Clinical studies have shown that acupotomy can effectively reduce pain and improve knee mobility by reducing adhesion, contracture of soft tissues, and stress concentration points in muscles and tendons around the knee joint.

In this protocol, we used the modified Videman method to establish a KOA model by immobilizing the left hindlimb in a straight position. We have outlined the method of operation and the precautions related to acupotomy in detail and evaluated the efficacy of acupotomy in conjunction with the theory of "Modulating Muscles and Tendons to Treat Bone Disorders" through the detection of the mechanical properties of quadriceps femoris and tendon, as well as cartilage mechanics and morphology. The results show that acupotomy has a protective effect on cartilage by adjusting the mechanical properties of the soft tissues around the knee joint, improving the cartilage stress environment, and delaying cartilage degeneration.

Introduction

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is the most frequent form of osteoarthritis, often recognized as a whole-joint disease characterized by articular cartilage degeneration, which manifests clinically as pain, swelling, and limited movement of the affected joints¹. According to recent epidemiological statistics, KOA is reported to have affected 654.1 million individuals globally who were 40 years of age or older by 2020. The prevalence and incidence of KOA rise with age, are the highest in middle-aged and older adults, and affect more women than men². The prevalence of KOA is likely to increase due to the aging population and obes....

Protocol

All animal experiments were reviewed and approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (No. BUCM-4-2022010101-1097). In this protocol, 24 6-week-old male New Zealand rabbits were housed under a specific condition, namely, 20-25 °C, 50-60% humidity, and a 12 h light/12 h dark circadian cycle, with free access to a regular chow diet. The rabbits were anesthetized and sacrificed by combining deep anesthesia and air embolization. Pain is one of the typical pathological features of KOA.......

Discussion

An appropriate animal model is one of the key factors to achieve experimental objectives and clarify a specific scientific question. This study was based on the theories of "Zongjin controlling bones and lubricating joints" and "mechanical imbalance" in acupotomology, aiming to explain the scientific connotation behind the treatment of KOA by "modulating muscles and tendons to treat bone disorders" in acupotomy therapy. In other words, acupotomy improves the abnormal mechanical environment of the .......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Acupotomy	Beijing Zhuoyue Huayou Medical Devices Co., Ltd.		0.4 x 40 mm
Connect Cast Orthopedic Casting Tape	Suzhou Connect Medical Technology Co.,Ltd.	KCP06	15.0 cm x 360 cm
Double-sided Foam Tape	Deli Group Co.,Ltd.	NO.30416	36 mm x 5 yard x 2.5 mm
Environmental Dewaxing Solution	Wuhan Servicebio Technology Co.,Ltd.	G1128
Ethanol absolute	Beijing Hengkangda Medicine Co., Ltd.
Fast Green solution	Wuhan Servicebio Technology Co.,Ltd.	G1031
Fast grenn FCF	Sigma,America	2353-45-9
Fatigue testing machine	BOSE, America		Bose Electro Force 3300
Four-channel physiological recorder	Chengdu Instrumeny Frctory		RM-6420
FPD-305E	Fuji, Japan
FPD-306E	Fuji, Japan
Hematoxylin solution	Wuhan Servicebio Technology Co.,Ltd.	G1005
Medical iodophor disinfectant	Shan Dong Lircon Medical Technology Co., Ltd.
Medical Tape	Shandong Rongjian Sanitary Products Co., Ltd.	200402	1.5 x 500 cm
Muscle tension transducer	Chengdu Instrumeny Frctory		JH-2204005, 50 g
Prescale	Fuji, Japan
Real-time SWE ultrasound diagnostic instrument	SuperSonic Imagine SA,France		SuperSonic Imagine AixPlorer
Rhamsan gum	Wuhan Servicebio Technology Co.,Ltd.	WG10004160
Safranine O	Sigma,America	477-73-6
Safranine O solution	Wuhan Servicebio Technology Co.,Ltd.	G1015
Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS)	IBM, America