Growth of the rabbit deltoid ligament.

To determine the longitudinal growth pattern of ligaments, the rabbit deltoid ligament was selected for study to eliminate the confounding issue of underlying physeal growth seen in studies of the medial collateral ligament. Using a surgical microscope, marking sutures dividing the ligament into quarters were placed in the deltoid ligaments of five-week-old New Zealand white rabbits. Ten weeks later the animals were killed, the intervals remeasured, and percent of enlargement was calculated for each interval. The range of enlargement was 33%-37%, indicating relatively uniform growth throughout the ligament, with no detectable ligament growth plate or growth center.