[Cellular viability of cryopreserved cartilage grafts]

Transplantation of preserved cartilage has an important role in reconstructive surgery. Opinions vary with regard to the performance of cryopreserved cartilage. We studied the functional state of chondrocytes after cryopreservation. Cellular survival was studied using the trypan blue dye exclusion test, a functional assay for cell adhesion, and transmission electron microscopy. Most chondrocytes were irreversibly damaged by cryopreservation and the cartilage could not originate new cartilage. Therefore, cryopreserved cartilage tends to generate fibrosis and resorption and is not practical for reconstructing skeletal parts exposed to mechanical stress.