Free perichondrial graft from the ear to the knee in rabbits

Perichondrial grafts used in arthroplasties have been placed routinely with the cartilage-producing surface facing the joint space. Our study evaluates whether the orientation of the cartilage-producing surface of the perichondrial graft toward or away from the eburnated bone had any effect on the graft pattern 8 weeks after surgery. Fourteen rabbits were studied. The cartilage of both lower limb patellae was removed in all rabbits. The eburnated surfaces of 12 rabbits received perichondrial grafts from the ear, cartilage-producing side facing the joint space in one limb and cartilage-producing surface facing the bone in the other. Two rabbits that received no perichondrial grafts were also studied. After 8 weeks, the animals were killed and the patellar surfaces evaluated by gross and histologic studies. We observed that graft orientation made no difference in the histologic appearance or the thickness of the neocartilage formed.