The invention is directed towards a process for implanting a cartilage graft into a cartilage defect and sealing the implanted cartilage graft with recipient tissue by creating a first bore down to the bone portion of the cartilage defect, creating a second shaped bore that is concentric to and on top of the first bore to match the shape and size of the cartilage graft, treating the first bore and the second shaped bore at the defect site with a bonding agent, treating the circumferential area of the cartilage graft with a bonding agent, inserting the cartilage graft into the defect site and wherein the superficial surface of the cartilage graft is at the same height as the surrounding cartilage surface. The first and second bonding agents may be activated by applying a stimulation agent to induce sealing, integration, and restoration of the hydrodynamic environments of the recipient tissue. The invention is also directed towards a process for repairing a cartilage defect and implanting a cartilage graft into a human or animal by crafting a cartilage matrix into individual grafts, cleaning and disinfecting the cartilage graft, applying a pretreatment solution to the cartilage graft, removing cellular debris using an extracting solution to produce a devitalized cartilage graft, implanting the cartilage graft into the cartilage defect with or without an insertion device, and sealing the implanted cartilage graft with recipient tissue. The devitalized cartilage graft is optionally recellularized in vitro, in vivo, or in situ with viable cells to render the tissue vital before or after the implantation. The devitalized cartilage graft is also optionally stored between the removing cellular debris and the recellularizing steps. The invention is further directed toward a repaired cartilage defect.

The present invention provides a plate-shaped cartilage comprising a plurality of pluripotent stem cell-derived cartilaginous particles integrated with one another; and a method for producing the plate-shaped cartilage, comprising step 1: producing pluripotent stem cell-derived cartilaginous particles, and step 2: culturing the cartilaginous particles under culture conditions that allow adjacent cartilaginous particles to be in contact with one another, wherein the number of the cartilaginous particles is that required to form the plate-shaped cartilage.

An alloprosthetic composite implant comprising includes a structural porous scaffold having a pore density profile corresponding to a density profile of bone to be replaced. A plurality of cells are seeded within pores of the porous scaffold and grown by incubation. The cells may include osteoblasts and/or stem cells to form the structure of the implant, and one or more cartilage layers may be grown on top of the scaffold. The pore density profile of the scaffold may be formed based on one or both of the bone density profile of the bone to be removed, and the bone density profile of the native bone that will be in contact with the alloprosthetic implant. A robot may be employed reo resect the native bone and also to shape the alloprosthetic implant to fit into place in the native bone.

Embodiments of the invention include instruments and methods useful in preparing and delivering graft material to a surgical site. Some embodiments may particularly be directed to forming a graft from a blood clot and accurately and effectively handling and delivering the graft to a surgical site. Graft material may include blood components such as clotted fibrin derived from a patient's or a donor's blood.

The invention relates to a method and a device for producing an implant, wherein a natural bone microstructure of a natural bone region is detected (S1), an implant region in the natural bone region is marked (S2), the detected bone microstructure in the marked implant region is analysed to determine reproduction parameters (S3), and on the basis of the determined reproduction parameters, an artificial microstructure for producing the implant is created (S4).

The invention is directed towards a process for implanting a cartilage graft into a cartilage defect and sealing the implanted cartilage graft with recipient tissue. The invention is also directed towards a process for repairing a cartilage defect and implanting a cartilage graft into a human or animal. The invention is further directed toward a repaired cartilage defect.

Provided for herein, in several embodiments are implants and methods of using same to repair damaged or defective soft tissue. In several embodiments, the soft tissue comprises cartilage within a joint space. In several embodiments, the implants provided for comprise a stimulating region and an anchoring region. In several embodiments, the implants are spherical. A discontinuity between a surface of the implant and the surrounding cartilage advantageously facilitates implant placement and stimulation of generation of fibrous tissue, and subsequently new cartilage.

Methods and compositions for the biological repair of cartilage using a hybrid construct combining both an inert structure and living core are described. The inert structure is intended to act not only as a delivery system to feed and grow a living core component, but also as an inducer of cell differentiation. The inert structure comprises concentric internal and external and inflatable/expandable balloon-like bio-polymers. The living core comprises the cell-matrix construct comprised of HDFs, for example, seeded in a scaffold. The method comprises surgically removing a damaged cartilage from a patient and inserting the hybrid construct into the cavity generated after the foregoing surgical intervention. The balloons of the inert structure are successively inflated within the target area, such as a joint, for example. Also disclosed herein are methods for growing and differentiating human fibroblasts into chondrocyte-like cells via mechanical strain.

The invention relates to a method of producing an elastin-reduced cartilage scaffold containing channels and/or lacunae, the method comprising the steps of providing an elastic cartilage sample and reducing elastin from said cartilage sample to produce said channels and/or lacunae. The invention further relates to an elastin-reduced cartilage scaffold. Said elastin-reduced cartilage scaffold can be used in a method of implantation in vivo, for repairment of cartilage, repairment of osteochondral defects and repairment of bone defects.

Methods and compositions for the biological repair of cartilage using a hybrid construct combining both an inert structure and living core are described. The inert structure is intended to act not only as a delivery system to feed and grow a living core component, but also as an inducer of cell differentiation. The inert structure comprises concentric internal and external and inflatable/expandable balloon-like bio-polymers. The living core comprises the cell-matrix construct comprised of HDFs, for example, seeded in a scaffold. The method comprises surgically removing a damaged cartilage from a patient and inserting the hybrid construct into the cavity generated after the foregoing surgical intervention. The balloons of the inert structure are successively inflated within the target area, such as a joint, for example. Also disclosed herein are methods for growing and differentiating human fibroblasts into chondrocyte-like cells via mechanical strain.