title: The use of autologous adult, allogenic juvenile, and combined juvenile-adult cartilage fragments for the repair of chondral defects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goal of the study was to evaluate the repair of chondral lesions treated with combined autologous adult/allogenic juvenile cartilage fragments, compared with isolated adult and isolated juvenile cartilage fragments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-eight adult (>16 week old) and five juvenile (<6 week old) New Zealand White female rabbits were used. A large osteochondral defect was created in the center of the femoral trochlea of adult rabbits. The rabbits were divided in four groups: Group 1 = untreated defects (controls); Group 2 = adult cartilage fragments; Group 3 = juvenile cartilage fragments; and Group 4 = adult + juvenile cartilage fragments. Killings were performed at 3 and 6 months. The defects were evaluated with ICRS macroscopic score, modified O'Driscoll score, and Collagen type II immunostaining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 3 months, Group 4 performed better than Group 1, in terms of modified O'Driscoll score (p = 0.001) and Collagen type II immunostaining (p = 0.015). At 6 months, Group 4 showed higher modified O'Driscoll score (p = 0.003) and Collagen type II immunostaining score (p < 0.001) than Group 1. Histologically, also Group 3 performed better than Group 1 (p = 0.03), and Group 4 performed better than Group 2 (p = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mixing adult and juvenile cartilage fragments improved cartilage repair in a rabbit model. In the clinical setting, a new "one-stage" procedure combining the two cartilage sources can be hypothesized, with the advantages of improved chondral repair and large defect coverage, because of the use of an off-the-shelf juvenile allograft. Further studies on larger animals and clinical trials are required to confirm these results.
authors: 1st Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University of Torino, Via Lamarmora 26, 10128, Turin, Italy. davidebonasia@virgilio.it.
authors: Davide Edoardo
authors: DE
authors: Bonasia
authors: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
authors: James A
authors: JA
authors: Martin
authors: 1st Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University of Torino, Via Lamarmora 26, 10128, Turin, Italy.
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Marmotti
authors: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
authors: Gail L
authors: GL
authors: Kurriger
authors: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
authors: Abigail D
authors: AD
authors: Lehman
authors: 1st Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University of Torino, Via Lamarmora 26, 10128, Turin, Italy.
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Rossi
authors: University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
authors: Annunziato
authors: A
authors: Amendola
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002356:Cartilage / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation*; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D011817:Rabbits; D011897:Random Allocation; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D024043:Collagen Type II
keywords: Adult; Cartilage repair; Chondral fragments; In vivo; Juvenile; Rabbit