Early efficacy study of matrix induced autologous chondrocyte implantation repairing knee joint cartilage injury

Abstract

Objective To study the feasibility and early efficacy of matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation repairing knee joint cartilage injury. Methods The Matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation was used to repair knee joint cartilage injury in 13 cases (11 males and 2 females) with knee joint cartilage injury from April 2012 to March 2013. The average age was 27.5 years old. All cases were suffering from unilateral focal cartilage defect of knee joint with International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) chondral defect classification system grade III or IV, visual analogue scale (VAS) >3, and all of which had corresponding pain symptoms. The average defect area was 4.2 cm2. Standardized rehabilitation exercise was carried out after matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation. Patients were followed up for 1 years, and knee injury and use osteoarthritis outcome score (KOOS), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), subjective knee form and Lysholm score were collected to assess the function. Meanwhile, magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) score was used to assess the magnetic resonance imaging. Results All patients had been followed-up for 1 year. One patient had meniscus repair under arthroscopy for the meniscus injury caused by downstairs sprain in 6.5 months postoperative, so the score of 12 months postoperative was excluded. The knee range of motion was decreased in 3 months postoperative (123.1°±8.0°) compared to preoperative one (135.4°±5.7°), and has no difference in 6 months (136.1°±6.1°) and 12 months postoperative (135.1°±3.6°) compared to preoperative one. The 5 subsets of KOOS score were decreased in 3 months compared to preoperative one, and were significantly increased in 6 months and 12 months. The IKDC has no difference in 3 months (26.1±3.9) compared to preoperative one (43.5± 6.5), and were significantly increased in 6 months (53.3±5.8) and 12 months (62.8±7.2) compared to preoperative one. The magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) score was increased in 12 month (73.3±17.9) compared to preoperative one (51.5±12.6). Conclusion MACI is a good technology for knee joint cartilage injury. It has a good clinical effect on re- pairing cartilage injury effectively and restoring the function of knee joint. Key words: Chondrocytes; Transplantation, autologous; knee joint