Histological Study of Fresh Versus Frozen Semitendinous Muscle Tendon Allografts

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to histologically analyze allografts from cadaveric semitendinous muscle after cryopreservation at -80°C in comparison to a control group kept at only -4°C to test the hypothesis that the histological characteristics of the tissue are maintained when the tendons are kept at lower temperatures. METHODS: In a tissue bank, 10 semitendinous tendons from 10 cadavers were frozen at -80ºC as a storage method for tissue preservation. They were kept frozen for 40 days, and then a histological study was carried out. Another 10 tendon samples were analyzed while still "fresh". RESULTS: There was no histological difference between the fresh and frozen samples in relation to seven variables. CONCLUSIONS: Semitendinous muscle tendon allografts can be submitted to cryopreservation at -80ºC without suffering histological modifications

Effects of platelet rich plasma in osteointegration of cryopreserved homologous bone grafts: histomorphometric study in rabbits

As perdas ósseas em alguns seguimentos do sistema músculoesquelético têm sido motivo de grande preocupação na área da Ortopedia e Traumatologia. Propostas de tratamentos com uso de enxertos e fatores de crescimento são descritas ao longo dos anos. Neste estudo avaliamos o efeito do plasma rico em plaquetas -PRP na fase inicial do processo de osteointegração de enxertos ósseos homólogos criopreservados a - 80 °C, em forma de blocos, implantados no côndilo femoral de coelhos. Operamos 19 animais (38 fêmures), onde ambas as técnicas foram aplicadas no mesmo animal em lados alternados. De um lado aplicamos o aloenxerto isolado (Lado 1) e no outro associamos o aloenxerto ao PRP (Lado 2). Após 15 dias, os animais foram sacrificados e os côndilos femorais com as áreas de enxertia analisados pela histomorfometria com o método semiautomático. Não observamos efeito do plasma rico em plaquetas nas áreas de enxertias dos aloenxertos, pois a comparação dos parâmetros histomorfométricos estruturais, de formação e reabsorção não mostraram diferenças significativas.Bone loss, in some segments of the muscle-skeleton system, are of great concern in the fields of Orthopedics and Traumatology. There are several options of treatment by means of bone grafts and growth factors. In this study we evaluate the effect of platelet rich plasma (PRP) in the initial phase of osteointegration of cryopreserved (- 80 °C) homologous bone grafts, in blocks, implanted in the femoral condyles of rabbits. We operated 19 animals (38 femurs). Both techniques were applied in the same animal in alternate sides. In one side we applied isolated allograft (side 1) and on the contralateral side we added PRP to the allograft (side 2). After 15 days, the animals were sacrificed and the femoral condyles, with the receptor area, were analyzed histomorphometrically (semi-automatic method). We found no effect of the PRP in the receptor. The comparison between the histomorphometric parameters of structural, formation and bone resorption showed no significant differences

Fresh osteochondral knee allografts in Brazil with a minimum two-year follow-up

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to report the results of the first series of cases of fresh ostechondral allografts in the knee joint in Brazil with a minimum follow-up of two years. METHODS: A protocol of procurement, harvesting, processing, and utilization of fresh osteochondral allografts in the knee joint was established, beginning with legislation modifications, graft harvesting techniques, immediate processing, storage of fresh grafts, and utilization of two surgical techniques of osteochondral transplantation. Eight patients were treated and followed-up for a minimum of two years. RESULTS: Patients were evaluated with subjective IKDC, KOOS, and modified Merle D'Aubigne and Postel questionnaires. Mean subjective IKDC score was 31.99 ± 13.4 preoperative and 81.26 ± 14.7 at the latest follow-up; preoperative KOOS score was 46.8 ± 20.9 and postoperative was 85.24 ± 13.9, indicating a significant improvement over time (p < 0.01). Mean modified Merle D'Aubigne-Postel score was 8.75 ± 2.25, preoperatively, and 16.1 ± 2.59 postoperatively. Friedman test for non-parametric samples demonstrated a significant improvement in postoperative scores (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The use of fresh osteochondral allografts in Brazil is a safe procedure, with good clinical results in the short- and medium-term for the treatment of osteochondral lesions greater than 4 cm2 in the knee joint