Summary

Osteochondral allografts at 37°C in TGF-ß supplemented media with dynamic culture conditions could significantly extend the clinical window for grafting from 14 to 60 days. This may enhance tissue availability, reduce costs, and minimize graft wastage. The findings of this research may contribute to improving the availability and quality of grafts, thereby advancing the field of joint resurfacing

Abstract

Objective

Physiological storage temperature and chondrogenic supplements can
enhance tissue viability, potentially overcoming the limitations associated with
osteochondral allograft transplantation. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of
macroscopically healthy cartilage across 12 different storage protocols to find optimum
storage conditions for osteochondral allograft plugs.

Methods

Osteochondral plugs were obtained from arthroplasty candidates and divided
into 12 groups based on two culture media (Media 1 (supplemented Dulbecco’s
Modified Eagle’s Medium (DMEM)/Ham’s Nutrient Mixture F12) or Media 2 (enriched
Media 1 with 10 ng/mL of TGF-β)), two culture conditions (static or dynamic), and three
temperatures (-70°C, 4°C, and 37°C). Subsequently, samples were evaluated on days
1, 14, 28, and 60 for biochemical, biomechanical, and histopathological characteristics
alongside bacterial surveillance.

Results

A total of 4338 plugs from 843 donors were assessed. Chondrocyte viability
and proteoglycan synthesis were highest in the DMEM enriched with TGF-β at 37°C
and 4°C. Although biomechanical properties decreased over time in all groups,
dynamic culture conditions resulted in smaller decreases compared to other storage
protocols. Viscoelasticity was observed in all samples, with dynamic media groups
being maintained the most. Histological evaluation showed signs of degeneration, and
temperature variations affected the preservation of the tissue differently. Bacterial
surveillance identified contamination in specific storage conditions.

Conclusion

Storing osteochondral allografts at 37°C in TGF-β supplemented media
under dynamic conditions may extend the grafting window from 14 to 60 days. This
extension could improve tissue availability, reduce costs, and minimize graft wastage,
thereby advancing joint resurfacing techniques. Further research is needed to confirm
the safety and efficacy of this storage protocol.