Optimization of Osteochondral-like Implants for Joint Repair

骨关节炎（OA）是一种以关节软骨退化、滑膜炎和骨改变为特征的关节疾病，其引起疼痛和功能受损，并对日常生活行为产生负面影响。这种疾病的发生是因为创伤或潜在的疾病。目前的治疗方案并不是最佳的，因此非常需要一种新的手术治疗OA的方法。由于疾病过程导致软骨和骨的变化，任何修复的尝试都需要替换这两种组织。我们已经开发出了一种方法来产生个性化的骨软骨样植入物，适用于局部关节缺损修复。它是一种三相结构，透明软骨层包含深层钙化软骨区，通过微机械联锁与多孔可生物降解骨替代物结合。这些都是解剖形状，所以个性化的个人关节。本提案旨在优化该植入物的设计（骨水泥和锥角的方法）和初始固定（骨水泥与粘合剂）。局灶性骨软骨缺损（OC）修复旨在再生健康的软骨和软骨下骨组织，从而恢复正常的关节表面，从而减少疼痛，并使个体恢复正常的体力活动。这种干预旨在防止持续的关节退化，这可能导致需要进行全关节置换。这种方法的另一个主要好处是避免或推迟了使用合成材料进行关节置换的需要，这是公认的短期和长期限制。

Osteoarthritis (OA), a disease of joints characterized by articular cartilage degradation, synovitis, and bonechanges, causes pain and impaired function and negatively impacts the acts of daily living. This disease occursbecause of trauma or underlying disease. Current treatment options are not optimal, so there is a great need fora new approach to the surgical treatment of OA. As the disease process results in changes in both cartilage andbone any attempt at repair will require replacement of both tissues. We have developed the methodology togenerate personalized osteochondral-like implants that are suitable for focal joint defect repair. It is a triphasicstructure with a hyaline cartilage layer containing a deep calcified cartilage zone that is integrated bymicromechanical interlock to a porous biodegradable bone substitute. These are anatomically shaped so arepersonalized to the individual joint. This proposal is aimed towards optimizing the design (method offabrication and taper angle) and initial fixation (cement vs adhesive) of this implant.Focal osteochondral (OC) defect repair is intended to regenerate healthy cartilage and subchondral bone tissuesthereby restoring the normal joint surface resulting in reduced pain and ability of individuals to return tonormal physical activity. Such intervention is intended to prevent continued joint degradation, which in time,can lead to the need for total joint replacement. Avoiding or postponing the need for joint replacement withsynthetic materials with their well recognized short- and long-term limitations is another major benefit of thisapproach.