Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Anatomy logoLink to Journal of Anatomy
. 1990 Oct;172:69–79.

Fine vascular anatomy of adult rabbit knee ligaments.

R C Bray 1, A W Fisher 1, C B Frank 1
PMCID: PMC1257204  PMID: 2272910

Abstract

The microvascular anatomy of discrete knee ligaments in adult rabbits is described. Epiligamentous plexuses give rise to a limited number of vessels which penetrate deeply into ligament substance. Intraligamentous vessels are usually longitudinally orientated, widely separated linear anastomoses but occasionally complex glomus-like configurations are present. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to other articular connective tissues and to the possible roles of the intraligamentous microvasculature.

Full text

PDF
69

Images in this article

72Fig. 2
on p.72
73Fig. 3
on p.73
74Fig. 4
on p.74
75Fig. 5
on p.75
75Fig. 6
on p.75
76Fig. 7
on p.76

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Alm A., Strömberg B. Vascular anatomy of the patellar and cruciate ligaments. A microangiographic and histologic investigation in the dog. Acta Chir Scand Suppl. 1974;445:25–35. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Arnoczky S. P. Anatomy of the anterior cruciate ligament. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1983 Jan-Feb;(172):19–25. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Arnoczky S. P., Rubin R. M., Marshall J. L. Microvasculature of the cruciate ligaments and its response to injury. An experimental study in dogs. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1979 Dec;61(8):1221–1229. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Arnoczky S. P., Tarvin G. B., Marshall J. L. Anterior cruciate ligament replacement using patellar tendon. An evaluation of graft revascularization in the dog. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1982 Feb;64(2):217–224. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Arnoczky S. P., Warren R. F. Microvasculature of the human meniscus. Am J Sports Med. 1982 Mar-Apr;10(2):90–95. doi: 10.1177/036354658201000205. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Carr A. J., Norris S. H. The blood supply of the calcaneal tendon. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1989 Jan;71(1):100–101. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.71B1.2914976. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Casley-Smith J. R., Sims M. A., Harris J. L. Capillary lengths and areas, and intercapillary distances in tissue near the human knee. Experientia. 1976 Jan 15;32(1):64–66. doi: 10.1007/BF01932625. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Danzig L., Resnick D., Gonsalves M., Akeson W. H. Blood supply to the normal and abnormal menisci of the human knee. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1983 Jan-Feb;(172):271–276. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Dunlap J., McCarthy J. A., Joyce M. E., Ogata K., Shively R. A. Quantification of the perfusion of the anterior cruciate ligament and the effects of stress and injury to supporting structures. Am J Sports Med. 1989 Nov-Dec;17(6):808–810. doi: 10.1177/036354658901700615. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Frank C., Schachar N., Dittrich D. Natural history of healing in the repaired medial collateral ligament. J Orthop Res. 1983;1(2):179–188. doi: 10.1002/jor.1100010209. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. GARDNER E. D. Physiology of blood and nerve supply of joints. Bull Hosp Joint Dis. 1954 Apr;15(1):35–44. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Knight A. D., Levick J. R. The density and distribution of capillaries around a synovial cavity. Q J Exp Physiol. 1983 Oct;68(4):629–644. doi: 10.1113/expphysiol.1983.sp002753. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Lundborg G. Experimental flexor tendon healing without adhesion formation--a new concept of tendon nutrition and intrinsic healing mechanisms. A preliminary report. Hand. 1976 Oct;8(3):235–238. doi: 10.1016/0072-968x(76)90007-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Lundborg G., Holm S., Myrhage R. The role of the synovial fluid and tendon sheath for flexor tendon nutrition. An experimental tracer study on diffusional pathways in dogs. Scand J Plast Reconstr Surg. 1980;14(1):99–107. doi: 10.3109/02844318009105739. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Lundborg G., Myrhage R., Rydevik B. The vascularization of human flexor tendons within the digital synovial sheath region--structureal and functional aspects. J Hand Surg Am. 1977 Nov;2(6):417–427. doi: 10.1016/s0363-5023(77)80022-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Lundborg G., Rank F. Experimental intrinsic healing of flexor tendons based upon synovial fluid nutrition. J Hand Surg Am. 1978 Jan;3(1):21–31. doi: 10.1016/s0363-5023(78)80114-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Scapinelli R. Studies on the vasculature of the human knee joint. Acta Anat (Basel) 1968;70(3):305–331. doi: 10.1159/000143133. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Whiteside L. A., Sweeney R. E., Jr Nutrient pathways of the cruciate ligaments. An experimental study using the hydrogen wash-out technique. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1980 Oct;62(7):1176–1180. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Anatomy are provided here courtesy of Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland

RESOURCES