A modified parapatellar approach for the creation of osteochondral defects in sheep

Abstract

Osteoarthritis is a problem of great social and economic importance in elderly populations, mostly in developed countries. Current treatments aim to relief the clinical signs and slow the disease development, rather than cure it. Beyond this point, cartilage regeneration has recently received much attention from bioengineering industry, mostly because it’s now that early treatments of osteochondral defects are crucial for slowing or even preventing the chronic development of osteoarthritis. The aim of this study was to develop a modified medial parapatellar approach to the creation of osteochondral defects in sheep to further test novel biomaterials and scaffolds, with the goal of favoring early weight bearing.