A New Histological Scoring System for Partial Thickness Chondral Lesions

Abstract

Despite the large number of papers about regeneration of articular cartilage, the good results achieved in small animals are not replicated in large animal models and in humans. One possible reason is the frequent use of the osteochondral model, with perforation of the subchondral bone plate. As the most frequent pattern of lesion in humans is the Partial Thickness, new therapies should be tested in this model. However, there is not a tool to evaluate the results of Partial Thickness model.Objective: to develop a new histological scoring system to be used in the Partial Thickness model of cartilage repair. Results: this paper describes in detail the new scoring system. It was divided in three main sections: repair tissue inside the lesion, cartilage around the lesion and degenerative changes in the base of the lesion.