Optimization of Osteochondral-like Implants for Joint Repair

骨关节炎是一种关节疾病，以关节软骨退化、滑膜炎和骨质疏松症为特征，会导致疼痛和功能受损，并对日常生活行为产生负面影响。这种疾病是由创伤或潜在疾病引起的。目前的治疗方案并不理想，因此迫切需要一种新的手术方法来治疗骨性关节炎。由于疾病过程导致软骨和骨骼的变化，任何修复尝试都需要替换这两个组织。我们已经开发了一种方法来产生个性化的骨软骨样植入物，这种植入物适合于局部关节缺损的修复。它是一种三相结构，具有透明的软骨层，含有深钙化的软骨区，通过微机械联锁与多孔性可生物降解的骨替代物结合在一起。这些都是解剖学上的形状，因此个性化的个人关节。这项建议旨在优化该植入物的设计(制造方法和锥角)和初步固定(水泥和粘结剂)。局部骨软骨(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，从而减轻疼痛和个人恢复正常体力活动的能力。这种干预的目的是防止关节持续退化，随着时间的推移，这可能会导致需要进行完全关节置换。这一方法的另一个主要好处是避免或推迟使用合成材料进行关节置换的需要，因为合成材料具有公认的短期和长期局限性。

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.