Abstract
With the purpose of performing direct treatment of chondral lesions in the cases with gonarthrosis or chondromalacia patellae, we introduced MEDICARB an osteochondral defect filling material, made of carbon fiber, and carried out animal experiments and clinical application. For the animal experiment, on each of the patellae of 35 female rabbits, which were just before maturation, a predetermined osteochondral defect was prepared. MEDICARB was filled on the left side, and the defect was left intact on the right side and this was used as control. On the left side, regeneration of fibrous cartilage was noted from an early stage. The surface turned to a single plane, and this condition continued for long time with no noticeable degeneration of the surrounding cartilages. On the right side, regeneration of cartilaginous tissues was slow and gradual and required a long period. The regenerated cartilage on the defect was insufficient and no single plane was formed. Within 30 weeks, the entire defect was covered, while degeneration of the surrounding cartilage was observed at the same time. In the clinical application, a defect was filled with MEDICARB in 21 cases (including 26 joints) of gonarthrosis and recurrent dislocation of patella. Remission of pain in the early postoperative stage and extinction of crepitation were noted, and the results of arthroscopy showed a relatively satisfactory covering with regenerated cartilage. Further, in the histological evaluation by biopsy, MEDICARB was adhered well to the regenerated cartilage, and fibrous cartilaginous cells with high activity and regeneration of mature matrix collagen were confirmed.
