The effect mechanical status on the repair of cartilage injury transplanted with cultured chondrocytes

目的探讨关节负荷和关节运动对软骨损伤修复的影响。我们研制了一种新型的兔关节外固定架，消除了关节的负荷，使关节能进行主动运动。我们在兔股骨髁处制备全层软骨缺损，应用外固定架4周，8周后组织学检查修复组织。与无关节运动或关节有主动运动时关节负荷的减轻相比，主动运动时关节负荷的减轻对软骨修复有更有利的影响。周围正常软骨不受器械应用的影响。由于软骨细胞胶原移植物的早期脱位，我们无法发现软骨细胞移植对软骨修复的有益作用。这些结果提示通过控制关节的力学状态来改善关节软骨修复的可能性。

To investigate the effect of the load and the motion of the joint on the repair of the cartilage injury. we newly developed the external fixater for the rabbit which could eliminate the load of the joint and permit the active motion. We prepared the full thickness cartilage defect in the femoral condyle of the rabbits and applied the external fixater for 4 weeks and examined the repair tissue histologically after 8 weeks. The relief of the joint load with the active motion was showed to effect the cartilage repair beneficially compared with the relief of the joint load without joint motion or the permission of the joint load with the active motion. Surrounding normal cartilage was not influenced by the aplication of the apparatus. We could not find the beneficial effect of transplantation of cartilage cells on the cartilage repair due to the early dislodgement of the cartilage cells collagen graft. These results suggested the possibility of the improvement of the joint cartilage repair by means of the control of the mechanical status of the joint.