[Use of Bioimplants to Replace Cartilage Part II: Application of Implants in Animal Experiments.]

The published paper pertains to a group of fullgrown minipigs where under anaesthesia with Narcamone after premedication with Rometar cartilage samples from the medial condyle of the femur in the area of the femoropatellar joint were taken. The collected cartilage samples served subsequently for the preparation of an autologous implant. After its preparation another operation was performed where by means of a bioptic trocar (diameter 3.5 mm) a cylindershaped defect was produced into which the implant was introduced. The animals were killed 8-12 weeks after the operation and part of the joint with the implant was subjected to further examination. The authors investigated three types of implants: 1. an implant based on three-dimensional cultivation of chondrocytes in a cultivation medium enriched with cartilaginous collagen and aggregan, 2. as sub 1 but the cultivation medium was enriched with the GHK tripeptide, 3. chondrocytes in the implant are added to gel prepared from cartilaginous collagens and aggregan. All three types of implants had a stimulating effect on the new formation of hyaline cartilage. When the tripeptide GHK is used, the newly formed tissue contains more cells. Simplest is the preparation of the third implant. Also the peroperative procedure is simplest. Key words: chondrocytes, cartilaginous collagens, cartilaginous implant, tripeptide gly-his-lys, aggregan, minipigs.