138 / 225
138
· DOS Abstracts
NO EFFECT OF PLATELET RICH PLASMA AS COADJU-
VANT TO MI-CROFRACTURE FOR THE TREATMENT OF
CHONDRAL DEFECTS
Morten Lykke Olesen, Bjørn Borsøe Christensen, Casper Bindzus Foldager, Kris
Chadwick Hede, Natasja Leth Jørgensen, Martin Lind
Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Aarhus
University Hospital;
Background:
Microfracture (MFx) remains a dominant treatment strategy for
symptomatic articular cartilage defects. Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP),
may improve biological cartilage repair as an adjunct to MFx.
Purpose / Aim of Study:
To assess the histological quality of cartilage repair
after MFx with and without repeated local injections of PRP for the treatment
of full-thickness focal chondral defects of the knee.
Materials and Methods:
Two full-thickness chondral defects (Ø = 6 mm) were
surgically performed in the medial and lateral trochlea of each knee in six skel-
etally mature Göttingen minipigs. The two treatment groups were 1) MFx with
one weekly PRP injection for three weeks (n=12), and 2) MFx alone (n=12).
The animals were euthanized after six months. Samples of both whole blood and
PRP were analysed with an automated hematology analyzer to determine the
concentrations of platelets and nucleated cells. The composition of cartilage re-
pair tissue was assessed using gross appearance as-sessment, histomorphom-
etry and semi-quantitative scoring (ICRS II).
Findings / Results:
The average fold increase in platelets was 6.2 ± 1.3. Leu-
kocyte concentration decreased in PRP samples by an average fold change of
1.5 ± 0.1. Our macroscopic findings showed that the defects in the MFx+PRP-
treated group, were filled with an irregular, partially rough tissue similar to the
MFx- treated group. No significant difference in hyalin cartilage, fibrocartilage
or fibrous tissue content and ICRS II scores was found between the groups.
Conclusions:
Four repeated local injections of leukocyte-reduced PRP after
MFx in the treatment of full-thickness cartilage injuries demonstrated no ben-
eficial effects in terms of macroscopic and histological cartilage repair tissue
quality.
No conflicts of interest reported
90.