title: Autologous chondrocyte transplantation. Biomechanics and long-term durability.
abstract: We evaluated the durability of autologous chondrocyte transplantation grafts in 61 patients treated for isolated cartilage defects on the femoral condyle or the patella and followed up for a mean of 7.4 years (range, 5 to 11). Durability was determined by comparing the clinical status at the long-term follow-up with that found 2 years after the transplantation. After 2 years, 50 of the 61 patients had good or excellent clinical results, and 51 of 61 had good or excellent results at 5 to 11 years later. Grafted areas from 11 of the patients were evaluated with an electromechanical indentation probe during a second-look arthroscopy procedure (mean follow-up, 54.3 months; range, 33 to 84); stiffness measurements were 90% or more of those of normal cartilage in eight patients. Eight of twelve 2-mm biopsy samples taken from these patients showed hyaline characteristics with safranin O staining and a homogeneous appearance in polarized light. Three fibrous and eight hyaline biopsy specimens stained positive to aggrecan and to cartilage oligomeric matrix protein. Hyaline-like specimens stained positive for type II collagen, and fibrous, for type I collagen. Autologous chondrocyte transplantation for the treatment of articular cartilage injuries has a durable outcome for as long as 11 years.
authors.affiliation: Gothenburg Medical Center, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brittberg
authors.forename: Illka
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kiviranta
authors.forename: Evy Lundgren
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Akerlund
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lindahl
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery; D001182:Arthroscopy; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001706:Biopsy; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000293:injuries; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010008:Osteochondritis Dissecans / Q000601:surgery; D010329:Patella / Q000293:injuries; D024162:Second-Look Surgery; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome