Gel-type autologous chondrocyte (Chondron) implantation for treatment of articular cartilage defects of the knee.
BACKGROUND
Gel-type autologous chondrocyte (Chondron) implantations have been used for several years without using periosteum or membrane. This study involves evaluations of the clinical results of Chondron at many clinical centers at various time points during the postoperative patient follow-up.


METHODS
Data from 98 patients with articular cartilage injury of the knee joint and who underwent Chondron implantation at ten Korean hospitals between January 2005 and November 2008, were included and were divided into two groups based on the patient follow-up period, i.e. 13~24-month follow-up and greater than 25-month follow-up. The telephone Knee Society Score obtained during telephone interviews with patients, was used as the evaluation tool.


RESULTS
On the tKSS-A (telephone Knee Society Score-A), the score improved from 43.52 +/- 20.20 to 89.71 +/- 13.69 (P < 0.05), and on the tKSS-B (telephone Knee Society Score-B), the score improved from 50.66 +/- 20.05 to 89.38 +/- 15.76 (P < 0.05). The total improvement was from 94.18 +/- 31.43 to 179.10 +/- 24.69 (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Gel-type autologous chondrocyte implantation for chondral knee defects appears to be a safe and effective method for both decreasing pain and improving knee function.
Choi
Nam-Yong
NY
Orthopedic Department, Uijeongbu St, Mary's Hospital, Kumoh-dong, Uijeongbu City, Gyeonggi-do, 480-717, Korea.
Kim
Byoung-Woo
BW
Yeo
Woo-Jin
WJ
Kim
Haeng-Boo
HB
Suh
Dong-Sam
DS
Kim
Jin-Soo
JS
Kim
Yoon-Sik
YS
Seo
Yong-Ho
YH
Cho
Jea-Yeong
JY
Chun
Chung-Woo
CW
Park
Hyun-Shin
HS
Shetty
Asode Ananthram
AA
Kim
Seok-Jung
SJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016378:Tissue Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult