Implantation of a polycaprolactone scaffold with subchondral bone anchoring ameliorates nodules formation and other tissue alterations

Purpose: Articular cartilage has limited repair capacity. Two different implant devices for articular cartilage regeneration were tested in vivo in a sheep model to evaluate the effect of subchondral bone anchoring for tissue repair. Methods: The implants were placed with press-fit technique in a cartilage defect after microfracture surgery in the femoral condyle of the knee joint of the sheep and histologic and mechanical evaluation was done 4.5 months later. The first group consisted of a biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold with double porosity. The second test group consisted of a PCL scaffold attached to a poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) pin anchored to the subchondral bone. Result…