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Cell-free repair of small cartilage defects in the Goettinger minipig: which defect size is possible?
K Gavenis1, U Schneider, U Maus
1Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Aachen University Hospital, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany. karstengavenis@gmx.de
Purpose:
Cartilage repair of full-thickness chondral defects in the knees of Goettinger minipigs was assessed by treatment with cell-free collagen type-I gel plugs of three different sizes.
Methods:
In 6 adult Goettinger minipigs, three full-thickness chondral defects were created in the trochlear groove of one knee of the hind leg. These defects were treated with a cell-free collagen type-I gel plug of 8, 10, or 12 mm diameter. All animals were allowed unlimited weight bearing. After 1 year, the animals were killed. Immediately after recovery, a non-destructive biomechanical testing was performed. The repair tissue quality was evaluated immunohistologically, collagen type-II protein was quantified, and a semiquantitative score (O'Driscoll score) was calculated.
Results:
After 1 year, a high number of cells migrated into the initially cell-free collagen gel plugs and a hyaline-like repair tissue had been created. The O'Driscoll scores were: 8 mm, 21.2 (SD, 2.8); 10 mm, 21.5 (SD, 1.6); and 12 mm, 22.3 (SD, 1.0). The determination of the e-modulus, creep and relaxation revealed that mechanical properties of the two smaller defects were closer to unaffected hyaline cartilage.
Conclusions:
As cell-free collagen type-I gel plugs of all three different sizes created hyaline-like repair tissue, this system seems suitable for the treatment of even larger defects.
