Purpose: The purpose of this experimental study was to evaluate the initial effect of a frozen-stored disc allograft on the osteoarthritic sheep temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
Materials and methods: Bilateral osteoarthritis was induced in the TMJ of four sheep. Three months later, unilateral discectomy and frozen-stored disc allograft replacement were performed. The donor disc had been obtained from a healthy animal at killing. The disc was stored in a deep freezer at -70 degrees C for 1 month and thawed just before grafting. The contralateral joints were undisturbed and served as a control at 3 months. At 6 months after the initial procedure, 3 months after the repair, the four sheep were killed.
Results: All four grafted discs were perforated and displaced. In the repaired joints, the condylar articular surface was partly denuded in some areas, and part of the surface showed fibrous repair. The control joints showed osteoarthritic changes.
Conclusion: Frozen-stored disc allograft is not a satisfactory interpositional material in the osteoarthritic sheep TMJ.