Efficacy of Atelocollagen and Fibrin Glue Mixture on Articular Cartilage Defect of Rabbit

Microfracture is an articular cartilage repair technique that works by creating tiny fractures in the underlying bone. However, the predominant repair tissue after microfracture is fibrocartilage. CartiFill™ is cartilage cell scaffold for advanced technique of microfracture. We evaluated the osteochondral healing effect of CartiFill TM and microfracture combination on femoral condyle defect animal model. Twenty NZW rabbits were divided into four groups: 3% CartiFill™ (3% atelocollagen and fibrin glue) implant group, 3% atelocollagen implant group, fibrin glue implant group and non-treatment group. Animals had made femoral condyle defect 4 mm in diameter and 3 mm in depth, and the defect was microfractured using K-wire and immediately implanted accordingly. The animals were sacrificed at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks postoperatively, and the specimens were used for macroscopic observation and histological analysis. According to the macroscopic observation, 3% atelocollagen implant and 3% CartiFill™ implant showed smooth, consistent, glistening white tissues. On the contrary, no treatment group and fibrin glue group showed reddish irregular tissues. In histological observation, 3% CartiFill™ group filled the defects sites completely and proceeded to the subchondral bone and cartilage repair by 12 weeks. However, no treatment group didn’t fill the defects sites and didn’t show the subchondral bone repair. Also, all histological scores of 3% CartiFill™ implant (p < 0.05) at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks showed significant differences from control group and fibrin glue implant. For regeneration of cartilage on osteochondral lesion, CartiFill™ used in combination with microfracture has provided a structural basis and a good quality cartilage tissue and excellent repair.