Biomechanical assessment of the stability of osteochondral grafts implanted in porcine and bovine femoral condyles

Iodinated gadolinium-gold nanomaterial as a multimodal contrast agent for cartilage tissue imaging

Cartilage damage, a common cause of osteoarthritis, requires medical imaging for accurate diagnosis of pathological changes. However, current instruments can acquire limited imaging information due to sensitivity and resolution issues. Therefore, multimodal imaging is considered an alternative strategy to provide valuable images and analyzes from different perspectives. Among all biomaterials, gold nanomaterials not only exhibit outstanding benefits as drug carriers, in vitro diagnostics, and radiosensitizers, but are also widely used as contrast agents, particularly for tumors. However, their potential for imaging cartilage damage is rarely discussed. In this study, we developed a versatile iodinated gadolinium-gold nanomaterial, AuNC@BSA-Gd-I, and its radiolabeled derivative, AuNC@BSA-Gd-131I, for cartilage detection. With its small size, negative charge, and multimodal capacities, the probe can penetrate damaged cartilage and be detected or visualized by computed tomography, MRI, IVIS, and gamma counter. Additionally, the multimodal imaging potential of AuNC@BSA-Gd-I was compared to current multifunctional gold nanomaterials containing similar components, including anionic AuNC@BSA, AuNC@BSA-I, and AuNC@BSA-Gd as well as cationic AuNC@CBSA. Due to their high atomic numbers and fluorescent emission, AuNC@BSA nanomaterials could provide fundamental multifunctionality for imaging. By further modifying AuNC@BSA with additional imaging materials, their application could be extended to various types of medical imaging instruments. Nonetheless, our findings showed that each of the current nanomaterials exhibited excellent abilities for imaging cartilage with their predominant imaging modalities, but their versatility was not comparable to that of AuNC@BSA-Gd-I. Thus, AuNC@BSA-Gd-I could be served as a valuable tool in multimodal imaging strategies for cartilage assessment.

A Finite Element Model to Investigate the Stability of Osteochondral Grafts Within a Human Tibiofemoral Joint

Osteochondral grafting has demonstrated positive outcomes for treating articular cartilage defects by replacing the damaged region with a cylindrical graft consisting of bone with a layer of cartilage. However, factors that cause graft subsidence are not well understood. The aim of this study was to develop finite element (FE) models of osteochondral grafts within a tibiofemoral joint, suitable for an investigation of parameters affecting graft stability. Cadaveric femurs were used to experimentally calibrate the bone properties and graft-bone frictional forces for use in corresponding image-based FE models, generated from µCT scan data. Effects of cartilage defects and osteochondral graft repair were measured by examining contact pressure changes using further in vitro tests. Here, six defects were created in the femoral condyles, which were subsequently treated with osteochondral autografts or metal pins. Matching image-based FE models were created, and the contact patches were compared. The bone material properties and graft-bone frictional forces were successfully calibrated from the initial tests with good resulting levels of agreement (CCC = 0.87). The tibiofemoral joint experiment provided a range of cases that were accurately described in the resultant pressure maps and were well represented in the FE models. Cartilage defects and repair quality were experimentally measurable with good agreement in the FE model pressure maps. Model confidence was built through extensive validation and sensitivity testing. It was found that specimen-specific properties were required to accurately represent graft behaviour. The final models produced are suitable for a range of parametric testing to investigate immediate graft stability.

Characterizing Osteochondral Allograft Biomechanics for Optimizing Transplant Success: A Systematic Review

Osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation has been largely successful in treating symptomatic articular cartilage lesions; however, treatment failures persist. While OCA biomechanics have been consistently cited as mechanisms of treatment failure, the relationships among mechanical and biological variables that contribute to success after OCA transplantation have yet to be fully characterized. The purpose of this systematic review was to synthesize the clinically relevant peer-reviewed evidence targeting the biomechanics of OCAs and the impact on graft integration and functional survival toward developing and implementing strategies for improving patient outcomes. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), Google Scholar, and EMBASE were searched to identify articles for systematic review. This review of relevant peer-reviewed literature provided evidence that the biomechanics related to OCA transplantation in the knee have direct and indirect effects on functional graft survival and patient outcomes. The evidence suggests that biomechanical variables can be optimized further to enhance benefits and mitigate detrimental effects. Each of these modifiable variables should be considered regarding indications, patient selection criteria, graft preservation methodology, graft preparation, transplantation, fixation techniques, and prescribed postoperative restriction and rehabilitation protocols. Criteria, methods, techniques, and protocols should target OCA quality (chondrocyte viability, extracellular matrix integrity, material properties), favorable patient and joint characteristics, rigid fixation with protected loading, and innovative ways to foster rapid and complete OCA cartilage and bone integration to optimize outcomes for OCA transplant patients.

Functional performance of a bi-layered chitosan-nano-hydroxyapatite osteochondral scaffold: a pre-clinical in vitro tribological study

Osteochondral grafts are used for repair of focal osteochondral lesions. Autologous grafts are the gold standard treatment; however, limited graft availability and donor site morbidity restrict use. Therefore, there is a clinical need for different graft sources/materials which replicate natural cartilage function. Chitosan has been proposed for this application. The aim of this study was to assess the biomechanics and biotribology of a bioresorbable chitosan/chitosan-nano-hydroxyapatite osteochondral construct (OCC), implanted in an in vitro porcine knee experimental simulation model. The OCC implanted in different surgical positions (flush, proud and inverted) was compared to predicate grafts in current clinical use and a positive control consisting of a stainless steel graft implanted proud of the cartilage surface. After 3 h (10 800 cycles) wear simulation under a walking gait, subsidence occurred in all OCC samples irrespective of surgical positioning, but with no apparent loss of material and low meniscus wear. Half the predicate grafts exhibited delamination and scratching of the cartilage surfaces. No graft subsidence occurred in the positive controls but wear and deformation of the meniscus were apparent. Implanting a new chitosan-based OCC either optimally (flush), inverted or proud of the cartilage surface resulted in minimal wear, damage and deformation of the meniscus.

Development of robust finite element models to investigate the stability of osteochondral grafts within porcine femoral condyles

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent chronic rheumatic disease worldwide with knee OA having an estimated lifetime risk of approximately 14%. Autologous osteochondral grafting has demonstrated positive outcomes in some patients, however, understanding of the biomechanical function and how treatments can be optimised remains limited. Increased short-term stability of the grafts allows cartilage surfaces to remain congruent prior to graft integration. In this study methods for generating specimen specific finite element (FE) models of osteochondral grafts were developed, using parallel experimental data for calibration and validation. Experimental testing of the force required to displace osteochondral grafts by 2 mm was conducted on three porcine knees, each with four grafts. Specimen specific FE models of the hosts and grafts were created from registered μCT scans captured from each knee (pre- and post-test). Material properties were based on the μCT background with a conversion between μCT voxel brightness and Young's modulus. This conversion was based on the results of the separate testing of eight porcine condyles and optimization of specimen specific FE models. The comparison between the experimental and computational push-in forces gave a strong agreement with a concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) = 0.75, validating the modelling approach. The modelling process showed that homogenous material properties based on whole bone BV/TV calculations are insufficient for accurate modelling and that an intricate description of the density distribution is required. The robust methodology can provide a method of testing different treatment options and can be used to investigate graft stability in full tibiofemoral joints.

Experimental evaluation of the primary fixation stability of uncemented ceramic hip resurfacing implants

Hip resurfacing arthroplasty is associated with increased frictional moments compared to standard heads owing to their large diameter. High frictional moments may harbor the risk of the implant loosening if the frictional moments exceed the fixation stability of the hip resurfacing arthroplasty. Therefore, the aim of this experimental study was to evaluate the fixation stability of ceramic hip resurfacing implants through a turn-off test. The test specimens, made of alumina toughened zirconia (ATZ) ceramics with an inner titanium-coated surface and square base bodies for better application to the test setup, were pushed on artificial bone materials until a predefined seating depth was achieved. Thereafter, the specimens were turned off from the artificial bone material by using a lever-arm and the turn-off moments were calculated. The density of the artificial bone material utilized (15 and 25 pcf), the press-fit (0.4 and 0.8 mm) and the size of the test specimens varied. The push-on forces ranged from 0.6 ± 0.1 kN to 5.6 ± 0.5 kN depending on the press-fit and artificial bone material. The turn-off moments relied on the respective press-fit, artificial bone material and size of the specimen. They belonged between the range of 8.5 ± 0.4 Nm and 105.4 ± 0.2 Nm. Most of the previously described frictional moments are lower compared to the turn-off moments determined in this study. However, in the worst-case scenario, the turn-off moments of the hip resurfacing implants may be reduced, especially when the adjacent bone stock has a low mineral density.

An experimental simulation model to assess wear of the porcine patellofemoral joint

A range of surgical techniques and osteochondral interventions have been developed for early stage chondral/osteochondral repair interventions in the knee however, methods for functional, pre-clinical assessment of these therapies are limited. In this study, a method for simulating physiological loading and motion in the porcine patellofemoral joint was developed using a 6-axis simulator. As an example of how the method can be used, the influence of surgical positioning of osteochondral allografts in the patella on cartilage wear, deformation and damage and graft stability was investigated in this porcine patellofemoral joint model. The functional performance of allografts implanted either optimally (flush with the cartilage surface) or 1 mm proud of the cartilage surface was compared to a positive control (stainless steel pin implanted 1 mm proud of the cartilage surface), a negative control (no intervention) and a defect model. Allografts implanted flush with the surrounding cartilage could restore the articulating surface of the patella resulting in low wear, damage and deformation of the opposing cartilage surface, similar to that of the negative control group. Implanting the graft proud of the patella surface resulted in cartilage lesions on the femoral trochlea (ICRS grade 2) and a cartilage volume difference of 2.0 ± 3.9 mm3; the positive controls resulted in more severe lesions, a higher volume difference (14.2 ± 7.4 mm3) which in some cases exposed subchondral bone (ICRS grade 4). Defects in the patella caused deformation of the opposing cartilage surface. All grafts implanted in the patella subsided over the duration of the study. This study demonstrated a method that can be used to evaluate osteochondral repair strategies in the patellofemoral joint applying physiological loading and motions.

Influence of the Mechanical Environment on the Regeneration of Osteochondral Defects

Articular cartilage is a highly specialised connective tissue of diarthrodial joints which provides a smooth, lubricated surface for joint articulation and plays a crucial role in the transmission of loads. In vivo cartilage is subjected to mechanical stimuli that are essential for cartilage development and the maintenance of a chondrocytic phenotype. Cartilage damage caused by traumatic injuries, ageing, or degradative diseases leads to impaired loading resistance and progressive degeneration of both the articular cartilage and the underlying subchondral bone. Since the tissue has limited self-repairing capacity due its avascular nature, restoration of its mechanical properties is still a major challenge. Tissue engineering techniques have the potential to heal osteochondral defects using a combination of stem cells, growth factors, and biomaterials that could produce a biomechanically functional tissue, representative of native hyaline cartilage. However, current clinical approaches fail to repair full-thickness defects that include the underlying subchondral bone. Moreover, when tested in vivo, current tissue-engineered grafts show limited capacity to regenerate the damaged tissue due to poor integration with host cartilage and the failure to retain structural integrity after insertion, resulting in reduced mechanical function. The aim of this review is to examine the optimal characteristics of osteochondral scaffolds. Additionally, an overview on the latest biomaterials potentially able to replicate the natural mechanical environment of articular cartilage and their role in maintaining mechanical cues to drive chondrogenesis will be detailed, as well as the overall mechanical performance of grafts engineered using different technologies.

Medial Opening Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy in Knee Osteoarthritis—A Biomechanical Approach

This paper provides an analysis from a biomechanical perspective of the medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy surgery, a medical procedure commonly used in treating knee osteoarthritis. The aim of this research is to improve the analysed surgical strategy by establishing optimal values for several very important parameters for the geometric planning of this type of surgical intervention. The research methods used are numerical and experimental. We used finite element, a numerical method used to study the intraoperative behavior of the CORA area for different positions of the initiation point of the cut of the osteotomy plane and for different correction angles. We also used an experimental method in order to determine the maximum force which causes the occurrence of cracks or microcracks in the CORA area. This helped us to determine the stresses, the maximum forces, and the force-displacement variations in the hinge area, elements that allowed us to identify the optimal geometric parameters for planning the surgery.

Biomechanical assessment of the stability of osteochondral grafts implanted in porcine and bovine femoral condyles

Osteochondral grafts are used clinically to repair cartilage and bone defects and to restore the congruent articulating surfaces of the knee joint following cartilage damage or injury. The clinical success of such osteochondral grafts is heavily reliant on the biomechanical and tribological properties of the surgical repair; however, a limited number of studies have investigated these factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of graft harvesting and implantation technique as well as bone properties on the primary stability of press-fit implanted osteochondral grafts using a series of uniaxial experimental push-in and push-out tests. Animal (porcine and bovine) knees were used to deliver models of different bone properties (elastic modulus and yield stress). The study showed the graft harvesting method using either a chisel or drill-aided trephine to have no influence on primary graft stability; however, the preparation technique for the graft recipient site was shown to influence the force required to push the graft into the host tissue. For example, when the length of the graft was equal to the recipient site (bottomed), the graft was more stable and dilation of the recipient site was shown to reduce short-term graft stability especially in immature or less dense bone tissue. The push-out tests which compared tissue of different skeletal maturities demonstrated that the maturity of both the graft and host bone tissue to influence the stability of the graft. A higher force was required to push out more skeletally mature grafts from mature bone tissue. The study demonstrates the importance of surgical technique and bone quality/properties on the primary stability and ultimately, the success of osteochondral grafts in the knee.