Meniscectomy-induced osteoarthritis in the sheep model for the investigation of therapeutic strategies: a systematic review

Purpose One of the major risk factors for OA is meniscectomy (Mx) that causes a rapid and progressive OA. Mx has been employed in various animal models, especially in large ones, to study preclinical safety and strategy effectiveness to counteract OA. The aim of the present study is to review in vivo studies, performed in sheep and published in the last ten years. Methods The search strategy was performed in three websites: www.scopus.com, www.pubmed.com, and www.webofknowledge.com, using Meniscectomy and osteoarthritis in sheep keywords. Results The 25 included studies performed unilateral total medial Mx (MMx), unilateral partial MMx, bilateral MMx, unilateral total lateral Mx (LMx), unilateral partial LMx, and bilateral LMx and MMx combined with anterior cruciate ligament transaction. The most frequently performed is the unilateral total MMx that increases changes in cartilage and subchondral bone more than the other techniques. Gross evaluations, histology, radiography, and biochemical tests are used to assess the degree of OA. The most widely tested treatments are related to scaffolds with or without mesenchymal stem cells. Conclusion OA therapeutic strategies require the use of large animal models due to similarities with human joint anatomy. A protocol for future in vivo studies on post-traumatic OA is clarified.