[Reaction of articular cartilage to subchondral defect filling with autologous cancelous bone, Kiel's bone chips and bone cement].

Equally sized subchondral osseous defects were produced in 30 adult rabbits. The defects were filled with autologous cancellous bone, bone cement, or macerated heterologous cancellous bone. Twelve weeks later those filled with autologous cancellous bone showed consolidation with preservation of the subchondral border line. There were no degenerative changes of the joint's cartilage. Filling with bone cement or heterologous cancellous bone, on the other hand, led to destruction of the joint's cartilage. The defects treated with heterologous cancellous bone had not reached osseous consolidation at that time. These results suggest that effective treatment of subchondral osseous defects can only be achieved by filling with autologous cancellous bone.