Determination of viability of cryopreserved cartilage grafts

Although transplantation of preserved cartilage has assumed a role of great importance in reconstructive surgery, there are many divergent and contradictory opinions with regard to the outcome of cryopreserved cartilage. This study was formulated to assess the functional state of chondrocytes after cryopreservation. Freeze injury and survival were studied using the trypan blue dye exclusion test, functional assay for cell adhesion and transmission electron microscopy. The methods applied clearly proved that a greater part of the cartilage cells was irreversibly damaged by cryopreservation. Findings demonstrated that cryopreserved cartilage remained non-viable and was not able to originate new cartilage. Thus, such cartilage will be subject to resorption processes and not practical for reconstruction of parts of the skeleton subject to mechanical stress. The feasibility of cryopreservation techniques for providing vital cartilage substitutes needs further evaluation.