Biomechanical comparison of commercial and novel scaffolds for articular cartilage repair

For a meaningful evaluation of biomaterials, in vitroenvironments that mimic the physiological properties of the in vivoenvironment are desirable with relevant control of key factors. For faster screening and reduction of time and costs, combination and control of different critical parameters are needed.Commercial Hyalograft® and ChondroGide® scaffolds were compared to a new experimental recombinant human collagen-PLA (rhCo-PLA) [1] and pure PLA scaffolds under BEST protocol [2] in pseudostatic (creep), dynamic (frequency scans, strain sweeps), and combined conditions (simulated operative periods) relevant for orthopaedic applications. Temperatures 25–37°C, dry and fully immersed wet (water, 0.9% NaCl) conditions were analysed and aggregate, complex dynamic moduli and loss factor were obtained. Additionally a method was developed for estimation of the swelling pressure under variable compression. ChondroGide and rhCo-PLA were compared in vivoin earlier experiments [1].All scaffold materials have a non-li...