title: Gel-type autologous chondrocyte (Chondron) implantation for treatment of articular cartilage defects of the knee.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Department, Uijeongbu St, Mary's Hospital, Kumoh-dong, Uijeongbu City, Gyeonggi-do, 480-717, Korea.
authors.forename: Nam-Yong
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Byoung-Woo
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Woo-Jin
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.forename: Haeng-Boo
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dong-Sam
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Jin-Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yoon-Sik
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong-Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Jea-Yeong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Chung-Woo
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: Hyun-Shin
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Asode Ananthram
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Shetty
authors.forename: Seok-Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: 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