Cartilage repair with autogenic perichondrium cell/polylactic acid grafts: a two-year study in rabbits.
The repair of articular cartilage injuries remains a challenge. In this 2-year study, osteochondral defects in the femoral condyles of five rabbits were repaired with an autogenic perichondrium cell/polylactic acid graft and compared with a contralateral control in which the defect remained empty. The rabbits in the group with the grafts had a higher percentage of biologically acceptable repairs (100%) than did those in the control group (80%). According to the histologic and histomorphometric analyses, the grafts augmented the intrinsic healing. Nonetheless, the results for the grafts were tarnished by a depressed repair surface and a histologic appearance not equivalent to that of normal cartilage. The application of growth factors to this model may yield a clinical treatment.
Department of Orthopaedics, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, USA.
J S
JS
Dounchis
R D
RD
Coutts
D
D
Amiel
D000818:Animals; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D005269:Femur / Q000601:surgery*; D019344:Lactic Acid; D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D011817:Rabbits; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous
D011091:Polyesters; D011108:Polymers; D019344:Lactic Acid; C033616:poly(lactide)