A method for treating joint pain in a subject is disclosed. The method can include inserting a bone dowel and a first portion of a bone marrow aspirate into a subchondral region of a bone that is part of a joint being treated and introducing a second portion of the bone marrow aspirate into the intraarticular space of the joint being treated.

An implant for repairing a cartilage defect comprising a first layer and a second layer. The first layer comprises a membrane-like structure and the second layer comprises a sponge-like structure with directional and/or interconnected pores. The first layer is facing the synovial space and the second layer is located towards bone.

The invention is directed to producing a shaped cartilage matrix isolated from a human or animal where the cartilage has been crafted to facilitate disinfection, cleaning, devitalization, recellularization, and/or integration after implantation. The invention relates to a process for repairing a cartilage defect and implantation of a cartilage graft into a human or animal by crafting the cartilage matrix into individual grafts, disinfecting and cleaning 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.

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.

An apparatus for slicing a cartilage sample includes a rear cartilage support cup, a cartilage clamp, a front cartilage support, a cartilage receiving region, and a cartilage cutting element. The cartilage clamp has first and second clamp members spaced apart from and aligned in a clamping direction transverse to a longitudinal axis. The cartilage receiving region is bounded by the first and second clamp members, the front cartilage support, and the rear cartilage support cup. The cartilage cutting element is spaced rearwardly from the front cartilage support by a cartilage slice thickness, the cartilage cutting element being movable across the cartilage receiving region in a cutting direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.

An apparatus and a method are provided for performing cartilage graft implant surgeries. The apparatus comprises a graft plug kit comprising one or more grafts configured to treat osteochondral defects in various bone joint locations in a patient's body. Each of the grafts comprises a cartilage layer coupled with a bone portion. The cartilage layer comprises a thickness selected to closely match the thickness of existing cartilage at an implant location. The bone portion comprises surface features configured to encourage the patient's bone tissue to grow into the bone portion, thereby accelerating incorporation of the graft into the patient's bone. An instrument kit comprises a multiplicity of instruments configured for implantation of the grafts into the patient's body, including at least a graft inserter, a guidewire, a reamer, and a size gauge.

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.

A graft or construct including an isolated cartilage chondrocytes from young donors (<20 years), seeded on a three-dimensional membrane composed of one of the main chondrogenesis-promoting substances (hyaluronic acid), in high densities (1×106) with autologous serum and sealed with a fibrin adhesive for the treatment of a cartilage lesion, with tissue formation that has greater durability, at a lower cost and with fewer risks than the treatments currently available for the management of such lesions. Likewise, a procedure for the treatment of articular cartilage lesions is provided, through the implantation of allogeneic chondrocyte grafts that present the capacity to generate or repair satisfactorily the cartilage of the lesion.

A shaped cartilage matrix isolated from a human or animal where the cartilage has been crafted to facilitate disinfection, cleaning, devitalization, recellularization, and/or integration after implantation. Also, a process for repairing a cartilage defect with the cartilage matrix. The matrix is in the form of an osteochondral plug including a cartilage cap ad subchondral bone, wherein one or more gaps, slats, bores, or channels extend through the tidemark at the interface between the cartilage cap and the subchondral bone.

A shaped cartilage matrix isolated from a human or animal where the cartilage has been crafted to facilitate disinfection, cleaning, devitalization, recellularization, and/or integration after implantation. Also, a process for repairing a cartilage defect with the cartilage matrix. The matrix is in the form of an osteochondral plug including a cartilage cap ad subchondral bone, wherein one or more gaps, slats, bores, or channels extend through the tidemark at the interface between the cartilage cap and the subchondral bone.