Cell-Based Therapy for Meniscal Repair

Abstract

Background The avascular portion of the meniscus cartilage in the knee does not have the ability to repair spontaneously. Hypothesis Cell-based therapy is able to repair a lesion in the swine meniscus. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Sixteen Yorkshire pigs were divided into four groups. A longitudinal tear was produced in the avascular portion of the left medial meniscus of 4 pigs. Autologous chondrocytes were seeded onto devitalized allogenic meniscal slices and were secured inside the lesion with two sutures. Identical incisions were created in 12 other pigs, which were used as three separate control groups: 4 animals treated with an unseeded scaffold, 4 were simply sutured, and 4 were left untreated. Meniscal samples were collected after 9 weeks, and the samples were analyzed grossly, histologically, and histomorphometrically. Results Gross results showed bonding of the lesion margins in the specimens of the experimental group, whereas no repair was noted in any of the control group specimens. Histological and histomorphometrical analysis showed multiple areas of healing in the specimens of the experimental group. Conclusions This study demonstrated the ability of seeded chondrocytes to heal a meniscal tear. Clinical Relevance Cell-based therapy could be a potential tool for avascular meniscus repair.