title: Can chondral healing be improved following microfracture? The effect of adipocyte tissue derived stem cell therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to investigate the effect of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) on chondral healing using the microfracture (MF) technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty male rabbits were randomly divided into three groups. Standard cylindrical osteochondral defects (OCDs) were created in the weight-bearing areas of the medial condyles of all the right knees; the defects were four millimeters in diameter and two millimeters in depth. The control group (group A) was restricted to spontaneous healing. For group B, we performed MF with a 1.5-mm drill. For group C, we applied MF using the same method and then applied 3×10(6) ADSCs to the defect area. At eight weeks post-operation, the subjects were sacrificed, and the distal femoral joint surfaces were evaluated histopathologically for chondral healing. The samples were scored according to the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results for group C were significantly better than those for group A in terms of the surface properties (p=0.003). The matrix evaluation was better for group A than for group C (p=0.01). The cell distribution, cell viability and subchondral bone parameters were similar between the groups (p=0.198, p=0.387 and p=0.699). The cartilage mineralization parameter was better for group C than for group A (p=0.001). The signs of healing were better for group C than for group B, but the differences were not significant (p=0.185).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Improvements with additional ADSC treatments were not statistically significant in cases in which ADSC treatment was compared with isolated MF treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Additional ADSCs treatment may have positive effect on chondral healing but it doesn't seem significant.
authors.affiliation: LNB State Hospital, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hasan H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Ceylan
authors.affiliation: Bezmialem Vakif University Medical School, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kerem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bilsel
authors.affiliation: Bezmialem Vakif University Medical School, Department of Medical Pathology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nur
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Buyukpinarbasili
authors.affiliation: Ataturk University Science Faculty, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ceylan
authors.affiliation: Istanbul Medipol University, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: drmehmeterdil@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Erdil
authors.affiliation: Bezmialem Vakif University Medical School, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tuncay
authors.affiliation: Istanbul University Istanbul Medical School, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cengiz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sen
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000637:transplantation*; D000818:Animals; D054544:Arthroplasty, Subchondral; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D050724:Fractures, Cartilage / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D045164:Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation; D011817:Rabbits; D014945:Wound Healing
keywords: Adipocyte tissue derived stem cell; Cartilage repair; Chondral healing; Microfracture; Osteochondral defect