BACKGROUND: Osteochondral autologous transplantation is used for the treatment of full-thickness articular cartilage lesions of a joint. Press-fit stability is an important factor for good survival of the transplanted plugs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 36 plugs of three different lengths were transplanted in fresh-frozen human knees. On one condyle, 3 plugs were exactly matched to the depth of the recipient site ("bottomed" plugs) and on the opposite condyle 3 plugs were 5 mm shorter than the depth of the recipient site ("unbottomed" plugs). Plugs were left protruding and then pushed in until flush, and then to 2 mm below flush level, using a loading apparatus. RESULTS: Longer plugs needed higher forces to begin displacement. At flush level, bottomed plugs needed significantly higher forces than unbottomed plugs to become displaced below flush level (mean forces of 404 N and 131 N, respectively). Shorter bottomed plugs required higher forces than longer bottomed ones. INTERPRETATION: Bottomed plugs generally provide much more stability than unbottomed ones. Short bottomed plugs are more stable than long bottomed plugs. Thus, in clinical practice it is advisable to use short bottomed plugs. If, however, unbottomed plugs are still chosen, the longer the plug the higher the resulting stability will be because of higher frictional forces.
BACKGROUND: Osteochondral autologous transplantation is used for the treatment of full-thickness articular cartilage lesions of a joint. Press-fit stability is an important factor for good survival of the transplanted plugs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 36 plugs of three different lengths were transplanted in fresh-frozen human knees. On one condyle, 3 plugs were exactly matched to the depth of the recipient site ("bottomed" plugs) and on the opposite condyle 3 plugs were 5 mm shorter than the depth of the recipient site ("unbottomed" plugs). Plugs were left protruding and then pushed in until flush, and then to 2 mm below flush level, using a loading apparatus. RESULTS: Longer plugs needed higher forces to begin displacement. At flush level, bottomed plugs needed significantly higher forces than unbottomed plugs to become displaced below flush level (mean forces of 404 N and 131 N, respectively). Shorter bottomed plugs required higher forces than longer bottomed ones. INTERPRETATION: Bottomed plugs generally provide much more stability than unbottomed ones. Short bottomed plugs are more stable than long bottomed plugs. Thus, in clinical practice it is advisable to use short bottomed plugs. If, however, unbottomed plugs are still chosen, the longer the plug the higher the resulting stability will be because of higher frictional forces.
Authors: Tomasz L Nosewicz; Mikel L Reilingh; Martin Wolny; C Niek van Dijk; Georg N Duda; Hanna Schell Journal: Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc Date: 2013-03-12 Impact factor: 4.342
Authors: Alvin W Su; Yunchan Chen; Dustin H Wailes; Van W Wong; Shengqiang Cai; Albert C Chen; William D Bugbee; Robert L Sah Journal: J Orthop Res Date: 2017-09-05 Impact factor: 3.494
Authors: Niels B Kock; Gerjon Hannink; Albert van Kampen; Nico Verdonschot; Job L C van Susante; Pieter Buma Journal: Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc Date: 2011-09-09 Impact factor: 4.342
Authors: Niels B Kock; José M H Smolders; Job L C van Susante; Pieter Buma; Albert van Kampen; Nico Verdonschot Journal: Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc Date: 2008-05 Impact factor: 4.342
Authors: Philippa Bowland; Raelene M Cowie; Eileen Ingham; John Fisher; Louise M Jennings Journal: Proc Inst Mech Eng H Date: 2019-12-04 Impact factor: 1.617