Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Freiburg University Hospital, Hugstetter Strasse 55, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2010 Aug;18(8):1122-7. doi: 10.1007/s00167-009-1033-4. Epub 2010 Mar 27.
Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is an established therapy for the treatment of cartilage defects across the knee joint. Even though different techniques for initial biopsy have been described, the exact location, depth, and volume of the biopsy are chosen individually by the treating surgeon. This study evaluated 252 consecutive cartilage biopsies taken from the intercondylar notch with a standardized hollow cylinder system for the isolation and in vitro cultivation of human chondrocytes assigned to ACI. All biopsies were assessed for weight of total cartilage obtained, cartilage biopsy weight per cylinder, biopsy cylinder quality, and initial cell count after digestive cellular isolation as well as cell vitality. Parameters were correlated with individual patient parameters. Mean patient age was 35.1 years (median 35.9; range 14.7-56.4). Adequate amounts of cartilage assigned to chondrocyte in vitro cultivation could be harvested in all cases. The mean overall biopsy weight averaged 75.5 mg (SD +/- 44.9) and could be identified as main factor for initial cell number (mean 1.05E+05; SD +/- 7.44E+04). No correlation was found between the initial cell count and patient age (correlation coefficient r = 0.005) or grade of joint degeneration (r = 0.040). Concerning cell viability, a total of 4.4% (SD + 3.0) of the chondrocytes harvested were apoptotic. Cartilage biopsies from the intercondylar notch using a standardized hollow cylinder system provides a reliable, safe, and successful method to obtain articular cartilage for further in vitro cultivation of articular chondrocytes to achieve autologous chondrocyte transplantation.
自体软骨细胞移植（ACI）是治疗膝关节软骨缺损的一种成熟疗法。尽管已经描述了不同的初始活检技术，但活检的确切位置、深度和体积都是由治疗外科医生单独选择的。本研究评估了 252 例连续的软骨活检，这些活检均取自髁间切迹，使用标准化的空心圆柱系统分离和体外培养分配给 ACI 的人软骨细胞。所有活检均评估了获得的总软骨重量、每个圆柱的软骨活检重量、活检圆柱质量以及消化细胞分离后初始细胞计数和细胞活力。参数与个体患者参数相关。平均患者年龄为 35.1 岁（中位数 35.9；范围 14.7-56.4）。所有情况下均能采集足够数量的软骨用于体外软骨细胞培养。平均总体活检重量为 75.5 毫克（SD +/- 44.9），可作为初始细胞数量的主要因素（平均值 1.05E+05；SD +/- 7.44E+04）。初始细胞计数与患者年龄（相关系数 r = 0.005）或关节退变程度（r = 0.040）之间无相关性。关于细胞活力，共收获了 4.4%（SD + 3.0）的凋亡软骨细胞。使用标准化空心圆柱系统从髁间切迹进行的软骨活检提供了一种可靠、安全和成功的方法，可获得关节软骨，用于进一步体外培养关节软骨细胞，以实现自体软骨细胞移植。
