The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital has completed an extensive trial of ACI versus MACI in the treatment of symptomatic osteochondral defects of the knee. A new technique has now been proposed which is quicker and easier to perform. This is the Gel-Type Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation, CHONDRONTM. At Stanmore CHONDRON has been used for the past 17 months. Our aim was to assess the short term functional outcome of patients who have undergone CHONDRONTM using validated outcome scoring questionnaires. We retrospectively reviewed the notes of 43 patients that had undergone CHONDRONTM over one year ago and scored them using the Modified Cincinnati Score, the Visual Analogue Score and the Benltey Stanmore Functional Rating Score.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the clinical outcome of autologous chondrocyte transplantation was dependent on the timing of a high tibial osteotomy in tibio-femoral mal-aligned knees. Between 2000 and 2005, forty-eight patients underwent autologous chondrocyte implantation with HTO performed at varying times relative to the second stage autologous chondrocyte implantation procedure. 24 patients had HTO performed simultaneously with their second stage cartilage transplantation, (the HTO Simultaneous Group). 5 patients had HTO prior to their cartilage procedure, (the HTO pre-ACI Group) and 19 had HTO performed between 1 to 4 years after their second stage cartilage implantation, (the HTO post-ACI Group). There were 29 men and 19 women with a mean age of 37 years (Range 28 to 50) at the time of their second stage procedure.

With average follow-up of 72 months we have demonstrated a significant functional benefit in performing the HTO either prior to or simultaneously with the ACI procedure in the mal-aligned knee. The failure rate in the Post-ACI group was 45% compared to the Pre-ACI and Simultaneous group, with failure rates of 20% and 25%, respectively.

An HTO performed prior to or simultaneously with an autologous chondrocyte implantation procedure in the mal-aligned knee, provides a significant protective effect by reducing the failure rate by approximately 50%.

Introduction

Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is contra-indicated in a joint rendered unstable by a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). We present our experience of ACI repair with ACL reconstruction

Articular cartilage implantation (ACI) and associated procedures (MACI = Matrix-assisted cartilage implantation) are now established treatments for osteochondral defects in the knee. The quality of repair in terms of histological appearance is frequently not known, whilst the correlation of histology results with functional outcomes remains undefined. Histological data of the quality of the repair tissue is sparse and a precise classification proved difficult.

This was a single-centre, prospective study. Over 12 years (1998-2010) 406 patients that underwent articular cartilage implantation procedures at our institution (ACI = 170, MACI = 205) had biopsies taken at the 1-2 year interval, in order to assess whether these contained ‘hyaline-like’ cartilage, ‘mixed hyaline-like with fibrocartilage’, fibrocartilage or fibrous tissue alone.

Histological sections of the biopsies were prepared and stained with haematoxylin, eosin and proteoglycan stains and viewed under polarised light. All biopsies were studied by a single histopathologist in a specialist, dedicated musculoskeletal laboratory.

All patients were assessed by the Cincinnati, Bentley and Visual Analogue scores both pre-operatively and at the time of the review.

The findings revealed that 56 patients healed with ‘hyaline-like’ cartilage (14.9%), 103 with ‘mixed’ (27.5%), 179 with fibrocartilage (47.7%) and 37 with fibrous tissue (9.9%).

These findings showed that 42.4% of defects were filled with ‘hyaline-like’ or ‘mixed’ cartilage, with 70% of these achieving a ‘fair’ to ‘excellent’ functional outcome. This was also observed in the fibrocartilage group, where 72% achieved similar results. Predictably 89% of the patients that healed by fibrous tissue had a poor functional outcome.

This study shows that 71% of patients whose osteochondral defects healed by either ‘hyaline-like’, ‘mixed’ or fibrocartilage experienced an improvement in the function. In contrast, only 11% of the patients whose defects filled with fibrous tissue, showed some functional improvement. Additionally, this data indicates the advantage of biopsies in assessing the overall results of cartilage implantation procedures.

Implantation of autologous chondrocytes and matrix autologous chondrocytes are techniques of cartilage repair used in the young adult knee which require harvesting of healthy cartilage and which may cause iatrogenic damage to the joint. This study explores alternative sources of autologous cells.

Chondrocytes obtained from autologous bone-marrow-derived cells and those from the damaged cartilage within the lesion itself are shown to be viable alternatives to harvest-derived cells. A sufficient number and quality of cells were obtained by the new techniques and may be suitable for autologous chondrocyte and matrix autologous chondrocyte implantation.

Bovine and human articular chondrocytes were seeded in 2% alginate constructs and cultured for up to 19 days in a rotating-wall-vessel (RWV) and under static conditions. Culture within the RWV enhanced DNA levels for bovine chondrocyte-seeded constructs when compared with static conditions but did not produce enhancement for human cells. There was a significant enhancement of glycosaminoglycans and hydroxyproline synthesis for both bovine and human chondrocytes. In all cases, histological analysis revealed enhanced Safranin-O staining in the peripheral regions of the constructs compared with the central region. There was an overall increase in staining intensity after culture within the RWV compared with static conditions. Type-II collagen was produced by both bovine and human chondrocytes in the peripheral and central regions of the constructs and the staining intensity was enhanced by culture within the RWV. A capsule of flattened cells containing type-I collagen developed around the constructs maintained under static conditions when seeded with either bovine or human chondrocytes, but not when cultured within the RWV bioreactor.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of hyaluronic acid supplementation on chondrocyte metabolism in vitro. The clinical benefits of intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections are thought to occur through improved joint lubrication. Recent findings have shown that exogenous hyaluronic acid is incorporated into articular cartilage where it may have a direct biological effect on chondrocytes through CD44 receptors.

Bovine articular chondrocytes were isolated and seeded into alginate constructs. These were cultured in medium containing hyaluronic acid at varying concentrations. Samples were assayed for biochemical and histological changes.

There was a dose-dependent response to the exposure of hyaluronic acid to bovine articular chondrocytes in vitro. Low concentrations of hyaluronic acid (0.1 mg/mL and 1 mg/mL) significantly increase DNA, sulphated glycosaminoglycan and hydroxyproline synthesis. Immunohistology confirmed the maintenance of cell phenotype with increased matrix deposition of chondroitin-6-sulphate and collagen type II. These findings confirm a stimulatory effect of hyaluronic acid on chondrocyte metabolism.

An increasing number of patients are treated by autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI). This study tests the hypothesis that culture within a defined chondrogenic medium containing TGF-β enhances the reexpression of a chondrocytic phenotype and the subsequent production of cartilaginous extracellular matrix by human chondrocytes used in ACI. Chondrocytes surplus to clinical requirements for ACI from 24 patients were pelleted and cultured in either DMEM (Dulbecco’s modified eagles medium)/ITS+Premix/TGF-β1 or DMEM/10%FCS (fetal calf serum) and were subsequently analysed biochemically and morphologically.

Pellets cultured in DMEM/ITS+/TGF-β1 stained positively for type-II collagen, while those maintained in DMEM/10%FCS expressed type-I collagen. The pellets cultured in DMEM/ITS+/TGF-β1 were larger and contained significantly greater amounts of DNA and glycosaminoglycans. This study suggests that the use of a defined medium containing TGF-β is necessary to induce the re-expression of a differentiated chondrocytic phenotype and the subsequent stimulation of glycosaminoglycan and type-II collagen production by human monolayer expanded chondrocytes.

The formation of restrictive adhesions around the musculotendinous unit after injury is one of the most vexing processes faced by the surgeon. In flexor tendons it has been shown that the synovial tissue is the source of aggressive fibroblasts which contribute to this process. Using a rabbit model, we have examined the effects of treating the synovial sheath with the antimetabolite 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) for five minutes. Inflammatory, proliferative and molecular markers were compared in the response of the treated and control tendons to injury. Compared with a control group we found that the proliferative and inflammatory responses were significantly reduced (p < 0.001) in the treated tendons. Not only was there a reduction in the cellular and cytokine response, but there also was a significant (p < 0.001) reduction in the level of activity of the known pro-scarring agent, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1). These pilot studies indicate that the formation of restrictive adhesions may be modulated using a simple single-touch technique in the hope of producing a better return of function.