ArticleScientific reports2026
Development of a novel external fixation device for inducing knee arthrofibrosis in rats.
Article in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Arthrofibrosis (AF) is a common pathological condition characterized by joint dysfunction. However, traditional non-invasive external fixation methods are difficult to maintain on the small limbs of rats. This study aimed to develop a novel, non-invasive, and stable rat model of knee arthrofibrosis using a thermoplastic polymer resin. Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into a Sham group and immobilization groups (1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks). Utilizing the material's property of being malleable at high temperatures and rigid at room temperature, a custom-fitted "thigh-crus-trunk" external fixation device was fabricated to immobilize the knee at 135° of flexion. Total, arthrogenic, and myogenic contractures were assessed by measuring the range of motion (ROM). Histopathological changes were evaluated using H&E and Masson's trichrome staining. The expression of fibrotic markers (α-smooth muscle actin, α-SMA and collagen type I alpha 1 chain, COL1A1) in synovial tissues was detected via immunohistochemistry, RT-qPCR, and Western blotting. Biosafety was assessed through histological and serum biochemical analyses of major organs. Prolonged immobilization resulted in a significant decrease in knee ROM, while joint capsule thickness, synovial hyperplasia, and collagen deposition increased, stabilizing after 4 weeks. Analysis revealed that myogenic contracture predominated in the first 2 weeks, whereas arthrogenic contracture became dominant in the later stage. Molecular analysis confirmed a time-dependent upregulation of α-SMA and COL1A1 in synovial tissues. Furthermore, no abnormalities were observed in major organs or serum biochemical indices, indicating favorable biosafety. A novel non-invasive rat model of knee arthrofibrosis was successfully established using thermoplastic polymer resin. This device is cost-effective, user-friendly, stable, and biocompatible. It effectively simulates immobilization-induced joint contracture without surgical trauma, serving as a valuable model for future arthrofibrosis research.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.