Repair of articular cartilage defects with cultured chondrocytes on polysulphonic membrane: Experimental studies in rabbits

Introduction. Autologous osteochondral transplantation is one method that can be used to create hyaline or hyaline-like repair in a defect area. The purpose of the present study was to repair full-thickness articular cartilage defects in 9 rabbit knee joints with autologous cultured chondrocytes. Methods. An articular cartilage defect was created on the patellar groove of the femur. The defect was filled with chondrocytes cultured in vitro and placed into the knee on a polysulphonic membrane. At 8 weeks after the operation, the reparative tissue was analyzed macroscopically and histologically. Results. At 8 weeks after the operation, the surfaces of the reparative tissue were smooth, and the defects were filled with mature hyaline cartilage in 5 cases. In 2 cases, the reparative hyaline cartilage was immature and there was worse integration of grafted tissue into the adjacent normal cartilage. In 2 cases, the surface of the grafted area was irregular, and the reparative tissue was disintegrated and incompletely differentiated. Conclusion. The results suggest that transplantation of autologous chondrocytes cultured in vitro and placed into the knee on polysulphonic membrane is effective in repairing an articular cartilage defect.