Preclinical Testing of New Hydrogel Materials for Cartilage Repair: Overcoming Fixation Issues in a Large Animal Model

Figure 2

Fixation of novel constructs in chondral trochlea defects. Covering the construct with Chondro-Gide® resulted in intraoperative squeeze out of the hydrogel (a). CCT-reinforced hydrogels were directly sutured to the surrounding cartilage. None of the constructs remained in place after 4 weeks. Macroscopic changes to the surrounding cartilage due to suture tear out (thin arrow) were observed (b). Fibrin glue was used to fix a precasted hydrogel with CCT-reinforcement in a 6 mm trochlea defect. After 4 weeks, the displaced construct was found within the synovial tissue (big arrow), H and E staining (c). BioGlue® led to macroscopic colour changes of the surrounding cartilage as well as microscopic bone lysis (H&E staining) of the subchondral bone plate () (d). Scale bar: 2 mm; i: bone; ii: cartilage; : bone lysis.

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