What Is Fibrocartilage?

It is a type of transition between connective tissue and cartilage. In the fresh state, it is milky white, opaque, and has a certain stretchability. Its structural feature is that the matrix contains a large number of collagen fiber bundles arranged in parallel or cross. Chondrocytes are small and few, oval, often arranged in rows, located between fiber bundles.

It is a type of transition between connective tissue and cartilage. In the fresh state, it is milky white, opaque, and has a certain stretchability. Its structural feature is that the matrix contains a large number of collagen fiber bundles arranged in parallel or cross. Chondrocytes are small and few, oval, often arranged in rows, located between fiber bundles.

The matrix contains a large number of bundled collagen fibers, and chondrocytes are scattered between the fiber bundles. The cartilage was white to the naked eye. There is no obvious boundary between cartilage and the dense colloidal fibrous connective tissue connected to it. Ossification of tendon ligaments around all joints is the result of hyperostosis of these cartilage tissues. Fibrous cartilage is often distributed in the intervertebral disc, glenoid glenoid, articular cartilage disc, pubic symphysis and the attachment of the articular cartilage tendon joint capsule ligament.

Chinese name

Fibrocartilage

Foreign name

fibrous cartilage

Distribution

Intervertebral discs, joint discs, and pubic symphysis

Structural features

Collagen fiber bundles in parallel or staggered arrangement

Overview of fibrocartilage

A type of cartilage, a transitional type between dense connective tissue and cartilage. It is opaque and milky in fresh state. Fibrocartilage can be found in intervertebral discs, pubic symphysis, glenoid, articular discs and some tendons attached to the bone. Fibrocartilage contains a large number of bundled glial fibers in the intercellular substance. Except for the presence of a small amount of stroma around the chondrocytes, the stroma was hardly visible. Chondrocytes are interspersed between fiber bundles and can exist individually, in pairs, or in rows. There is no clear boundary between fibrocartilage and dense connective tissue. In addition to its general cartilage function, it has the function of toughness and anti-tension because it contains bundled glial fibers.

This type of cartilage is distributed in the intervertebral disc, pubic symphysis, joint disc, and some tendons and ligaments attached to the bone. As people reach old age, certain hyaline cartilage can gradually be transformed into fibrocartilage, which is one of the early symbols of people to old age.

Fibrocartilage clinical anatomy

Wrist cartilage disc injury :

This injury is more common in gymnasts, followed by motocross, tennis, and volleyball. The cartilage cartilage disc is a triangular fibrous cartilage with a thick periphery and a thin middle. Its tip is attached to the basal fossa of the ulnar styloid process, and the bottom is attached to the edge of the ulnar notch at the distal radius. Lower the ulnar radial joint and separate the two synovial cavities. Together with the dorsal volar ligament, it restricts excessive rotation of the forearm, maintains the stability of the lower ulnar and radial joints, and prevents ulnar and radial separation and anterior and posterior displacement.

Carpal triangle cartilage disc anatomy:

This injury is seen in the following cases: Complicated with fracture of the lower end of the radius or dislocation of the lower ulnar radial joint. Injury caused by excessive back extension and rotation of the wrist. Acute injury is usually caused by the wrist support rotating or pressing the ulnar side to cause abnormal movements of the lower ulnar radial joint. Chronic injuries are caused by repeated back extension of the wrist and rotation and compression.

There is pain and tenderness on the dorsal or ulnar space at the distal end of the ulna's small head. The pain is more obvious when the wrist is extended and the ulnar is rotated, and there is no pain when suspended vertically. In the early stage of the injury, there was local swelling, a "click" sound in the wrist rotation, limited movement, and weakened grip. When the inferior ulna radial joint dislocation is complicated, the ulna small head bulges on the opposite side, loosening when pushed forward and backward, and the cartilage disk compression test is positive (extreme wrist extension, ulnar deviation and squeeze twist, there is Pain is positive).

Wrist x-rays have some value in diagnosis. Iodine contrast showed clear, but the pain response was more dramatic. The air contrast imaging was not as good as iodine, but the inflation could also achieve the diagnostic purpose. If the contrast agent enters the inferior ulnar radial joint from the radial wrist joint, and the cystic crypt develops, it means that the cartilage disc is broken or the attachment point is torn. However, normal human cartilage discs may have a central perforation leading to false positives, and some cartilage discs may cause adhesions after tearing, preventing the contrast agent from entering the lower ulnar radial joint and showing a negative result. Therefore, a clinical history and signs must be combined to make a diagnosis.