Donor’s site evaluation after restoration with autografts or synthetic plugs in rabbits

Abstract

AIM:To investigate donor site's area histological and immunohistochemical knee cartilage appearances after resurfacing iatrogenic defects with biosynthetic plugs orautografts. METHODS:Thirty New Zealand White rabbits were used in this study. A full-thickness cylindrical defect of 4.5 mm (diameter) × 7 mm (depth) was created with a hand drill in the femoral groove of every animal. In Group A (n = 10) the defect of the donor site was repaired with a biosynthetic osteochondral plug, in Group B (n = 10) with an osteochondral autograft, while in Group C (control group of 10) rabbits were left untreated. RESULTS:Twenty-four weeks postoperatively, smooth articular cartilage was found macroscopically in some trocleas' surfaces; in all others, an articular surface with discontinuities was observed. Twenty-eight out of 30 animals were found with predominantly viable chondrocytes leaving the remaining two -which were found only in the control group-with partially viable chondrocytes. However, histology revealed many statistical differences between the groups as far as the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) categories are concerned. Immunofluoresence also revealed the presence of collagen Ⅱ in all specimens of Group B, whereas in Group A collagen Ⅱ was found in less specimens. In Group C collagen Ⅱwas not found. CONCLUSION:The matrix, cell distribution, subchondral bone and cartilage mineralization ICRS categories showed statistically differences between the three groups. Group A was second, while group B received the best scores; the control group got the worst ICRS scores in these categories. So, the donor site area, when repairing osteochondral lesions with autografting systems, is better amended with osteochondral autograft rather than bone graft substitute implant.

Clinical Outcomes of Donor Sites After Osteochondral Graft Harvest From Healthy Knees

“…Bartha et al 1 filled the donor sites with artificial materials to reduce donor site morbidity and postoperative bleeding after mosaicplasty. Using a rabbit model, Intzoglou et al 12 reported that the donor site area was better revised with osteochondral graft than with a bone graft substitute implant. In the present study, the donor defects were filled to the level of the subchondral bone with bone chips from the recipient site.…”

Hydrogel implant is as effective as osteochondral autologous transplantation for treating focal cartilage knee injury in 24 months

“…In this context, osteochondral autologous transfer is the most attractive surgical technique. However, it confers undesirable postoperative pain in the donor area [18].…”