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Arthroscopic three-dimensional chondrocyte graft transplantation: technical note

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European Orthopaedics and Traumatology

Abstract

Cartilage lesions, focal or degenerative, are frequent and represent a major health problem. Surgery is the only treatment aiming at healing the defect instead of the symptoms and is provided in order to stimulate a tissue response able to regenerate hyaline cartilage; however, only the latest technical and biological discoveries, and the derived surgery, are appearing capable of doing so. Matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation is the most effective technique, giving several advantages to both the surgeon and the patient, but requires particular attention while managing the scaffold and during its fixation. The purpose of this technical note is to introduce a new procedure to fix the scaffold with pins. This technical note ensures maximal gentleness during arthroscopic fixation of the matrix, giving also an increased stability, less harm on the tissues without using any cannula, reducing the risk of a material damage by eliminating the drilling through the chondrocyte membrane and is dotated of a very high reproducibility.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Mrs Elena Casagrande for her technical assistance (drawings).

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All authors declare that there were no any forms of conflict of interests during this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Istituto Chirurgico Ortopedico Traumatologico (I.C.O.T.), Via Faggiana, Latina, Italy

    Claudio Chillemi, Luca Dei Giudici & Stefano El Boustany

Authors
  1. Claudio Chillemi
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  2. Luca Dei Giudici
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  3. Stefano El Boustany
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Correspondence to Claudio Chillemi.

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Chillemi, C., Dei Giudici, L. & El Boustany, S. Arthroscopic three-dimensional chondrocyte graft transplantation: technical note. Eur Orthop Traumatol 4, 225–228 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12570-012-0145-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12570-012-0145-3

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