Chondrocyte viability in press-fit cryopreserved osteochondral allografts

✍ Scribed by Madhura D Gole; Dan Poulsen; John M Marzo; Seung-Hee Ko; Israel Ziv

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2004
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 787 KB
• Volume: 22
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0736-0266
• DOI: 10.1016/j.orthres.2003.11.006

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The viability of chondrocytes in press‐fit glycerol‐preserved osteochondral allografts was compared to that in fresh autografts, after transplantation into load‐bearing and non‐load‐bearing sites in mature sheep stifle joints. We used macroscopic grading, tonometer pen indentation testing, histology, sulfate uptake and viability as determined by confocal‐microscopy to assess cartilage condition. Despite there being no statistical differences between macroscopic appearance and tonometer testing of all grafts, confocal microscopy and histology demonstrated a positive effect of load‐bearing placement on cryopreserved osteochondral allografts. Allografts transplanted into load‐bearing sites demonstrated superior confocal microscopy‐measured chondrocyte viability (77% ± 17%SD) than those transplanted into non‐load‐bearing sites (25%±2%). Load‐bearing effect was not seen in autografts (78%±15%), and was comparable in adjacent cartilage (83%±9%). Similarly, load‐bearing allografts demonstrated histological scoring closer to that of autografts and adjacent cartilage, all of which fared significantly better than non‐load‐bearing allografts. Load‐bearing allografts had a greater amount of fibrocartilage than autografts or adjacent cartilage but less fibrocartilage than non‐load‐bearing allografts. Both autografts and allografts had non‐significant increases in metabolism compared to adjacent cartilage as measured by sulfate‐uptake. Load‐bearing placement improved chondrocyte viability of glycerol cryopreserved osteochondral allograft following a press‐fit implantation. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All on behalf of orthopaedic Research Society.