The Chondrogenic Potential of Eree Autogenous Periosteal and Fascial Grafts for Biological Resurfacing of Major Full - Thickness Defects inJoint Surfaces (

In the present study, 40 rabbits were used. 30 of them for the experiment and 10 as controls. Jhl1 layer defects of 7-14 mm which were produced on knee joint cartilage were repaired wtth free autogenous periosteal and fbscial grafts. The defects were made on the weight bearing areas of the medial condyles of the fernurs of rabbits. The fu11 layer periosteal grafts which were taken from the upper parts of the anterior tibia of 15 rabbits were located so that the combium layer faced the joing and sutured to synovial membrane with 6.0 vicry1. The defects of the otlier rabbits were covered with faseial grafts obtained from fascia lata and were sutured to synevial membrane wnh 6.0 vicryl. No grafting was perfbrmed on the 10 rabbits in the control group after production of defects. The rabbks were immobilized for two hours postoperatively, and then allowed to be active. The rabbits in the experimental group were sacrificed in the third, sixth and ninth weeks respectively, and tlie rabbits of the control group were sacrificed in the ninth week. The dista1 femurs of 40 rabbits were removed and examined both macroscopically and histologically. The collagen phenotype was determined biochemically. When the assessments were made, it was neticed that the joint faces of the rabbits which were repaired with periosteal grafts were smooth, a tissue resembling hyaline joint cartilage had developed, and the synthesis of collagen of type n increased. On the other hand, the joint faces of the rabbits which were repaired wmb fdscial grafts were not smooth, immature cartilage had with fibrous tissue developed, and the synthesis of type ll collagen accounted for 50 per cenL The joint faces of the control group were course and covered with fibrous tissue, and the collagen synthesized was type L According to these findings, we sullgest that the biological repair ofjoint cartilage defects is possible with free autogenous periosteal grafts. /