Voitcenko K. Morphological Traits of Knee Joint Structural Components at Different Times of Opioid Exposure

The thesis deals with the research of the structural components of the cartilaginous covering of the distal end of the femur and the proximal end of the tibia in norm and pathomorphological changes in the articular cartilage at different terms of the experimental opioid effects. The study was performed on 127 sexually mature, white, outbred male rats, weighing 80-135 g, aged 4.5-7.5 months. The material for the study is represented by preparations of the knee joint, pieces of the cartilage covering the distal end of the femur and the proximal end of the tibia of the knee joint for the study of its structural components. The results of the research provide an opportunity to establish the period of occurrence of initial changes and the dynamics of their progression to determine the timing of experimental opioid effects on which irreversible pathomorphological manifestations occur in the cartilaginous tissues of the distal end of the femur and proximal tibia. This also makes it possible to assert that each week of chronic opioid effects is a kind of adverse stage, during which changes occur in the tissues of the cartilage covering the knee joint, which later creates a favourable pathomorphological basis, against which the development of dystrophic changes is possible, which leads to the development of arthrosis and arthritis, which are manifested by dysfunction in the joint.