Page 223 - Demo

Animal experiment: Histological analysis of the LPM reattachment2218control was managed using meloxicam 0.5 mg/kg (Metacam; Boehringer Ingelheim, Ingelheim am Rhein, Germany) and buprenorphine 5 µg/kg (Vetergesic; Ceva Santé Animale BV, Naaldwijk, Netherlands) if needed.During this first week only, moistened food was administered to the ewes to limit the stress on the TMJ and LPM. After one week, all the sheep were housed together in a large indoor confinement, where they stayed for the remainder of the study. After the first post-operative week, blood samples were taken once per week, during which a clinical examination was also performed.Two hundred eighty-eight days after implantation, all 14 animals were euthanized. Before euthanasia a final clinical evaluation and blood sampling were performed, after which xylazine 0.1mg/kg (Xyl M; V.M.D. nv, Arendonk, Belgium) was administered for induction, as well as heparine 300 IU/kg to prevent coagulation. Induction was performed using a combination of ketamine 4mg/kg (Nimatek; Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC, Northwich, United Kingdom) and midazolam 0.2 mg/kg (Dormazolam; Le Vet Pharma BV, Oudewater, Netherlands). The product that was administered to achieve euthanasia remains undisclosed per agreement with Medanex Clinic (Diest, Belgium)Sample processing and selectionAfter euthanasia was performed, all the sheep were decapitated. The skull was then cut in half midsagitally and the implanted left side of the skull was skinned and further trimmed down by removing the neurocranium, the anterior half of the mandible and maxilla, the upper half of the orbit and the eye. After fixation of the specimen by immersion in formaldehyde 4% for three months, a post-mortem CT scan of each specimen was performed (slice thickness 0.7mm, 500mAs, 120kV, reconstruction thickness <1mm; Revolution, General Electric, Fairfield, CT, USA). Next, all samples were rinsed for 3 days as to remove the excess formalin, after which the periarticular ‘neo-synovial’ tissues were resected and stored for further debris analysis, which will be discussed in a separate paper. Nikolas de Meurechy NW.indd 221 05-06-2024 10:14