Arthroscopic examination of experimentally induced pathologic conditions of the rabbit temporomandibular joint.

Because of the difficulty in diagnosing and treating diseases of the temporomandibular joint, there seems to be a need for a simple, safe technique of examination. The purpose of this study was to examine the usefulness of the arthroscope in diagnosing pathologic conditions of the temporomandibular joint. Various pathologic conditions were produced in the mandibular joints of rabbits. These included steroid-induced arthropathy, chronic inflammatory changes in the synovium, acute inflammatory disease, and gross damage to the condyle and disk. The joints were then visualized with the arthroscope and photographed. Biopsy specimens of what appeared to be the involved areas of the condylar surface and joint capsule were taken for histologic study. The arthroscopic findings were correlated with the biopsy findings and histologic sections of the entire joint.