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Repair of articular cartilage defects in the patello‐femoral joint with autologous bone marrow mesenchymal cell transplantation: three case reports involving nine defects in five knees
Author(s) -
Wakitani Shigeyuki,
Nawata Masashi,
Tensho Keiji,
Okabe Takahiro,
Machida Hiroko,
Ohgushi Hajime
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.835
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1932-7005
pISSN - 1932-6254
DOI - 10.1002/term.8
Subject(s) - mesenchymal stem cell , medicine , articular cartilage , cartilage , transplantation , articular cartilage repair , bone marrow , surgery , pathology , anatomy , osteoarthritis , alternative medicine
To investigate the effectiveness of autologous culture‐expanded bone marrow mesenchymal cell transplantation for repairing articular cartilage defects, we transplanted autologous culture‐expanded bone marrow mesenchymal cells into nine full‐thickness articular cartilage defects of the patello‐femoral joints (including two kissing lesions) in the knees of three patients, a 31 year‐old female, a 44 year‐old male and a 45 year‐old male. Three weeks before transplantation, bone marrow blood was aspirated from the iliac crest. Adherent cells were cultured with media containing autologous serum. Single‐passaged cells were collected, embedded in a collagen solution (5 × 10 6 cells/ml), placed on a collagen sheet, gelated, transplanted into the defect and covered with autologous periosteum or synovium. Six months after transplantation, the patients' clinical symptoms had improved and the improvements have been maintained over the follow‐up periods (17–27 months). Histology of the first patient 12 months after the transplantation revealed that the defect had been repaired with the fibrocartilaginous tissue. Magnetic resonance imaging of the second patient 1 year after transplantation revealed complete coverage of the defect, but we were unable to determine whether or not the material that covered the defects was hyaline cartilage. Autologous bone marrow mesenchymal cells transplantation may be an effective approach to promote the repair of articular cartilage defects. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.