No Effect of Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections as an Adjuvant to Autologous Cartilage Chips Implantation for the Treatment of Chondral Defects

Background Repair of chondral injuries using cartilage chips has recently demonstrated clinical feasibility. Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a potential promising technique for improving healing response during cartilage repair. Purpose To assess the cartilage repair tissue quality after autologous cartilage chips treatment (CC) with and without repeated local injections of PRP for the treatment of full-thickness focal chondral defects of the knee. Materials and Methods Two full-thickness chondral defects (Ø = 6 mm) were created in the medial and lateral trochlea facets of each knee in 6 skeletally mature Göttingen minipigs. The 2 treatment groups were (1) CC with 1 weekly PRP injection for 3 weeks ( n = 12) and (2) CC alone ( n = 12). The animals were euthanized after 6 months. Samples of whole blood and PRP were analyzed for concentrations of platelets and nucleated cells. The composition of the cartilage repair tissue was assessed using gross appearance assessment, histomorphometry, and semiquantitative scoring (ICRS II). Results Histological evaluation demonstrated no significant difference in the content of hyaline cartilage (CC + PRP: 18.7% vs. CC: 19.6%), fibrocartilage (CC + PRP: 48.1% vs. CC: 51.8%), or fibrous tissue (CC + PRP: 22.7% vs. CC: 21.8%) between the treatment groups. Macroscopic evaluation did not demonstrate any difference between groups. Conclusions PRP injections after CC in the treatment of full-thickness cartilage injuries demonstrated no beneficial effects in terms of macroscopic and histologic composition of cartilage repair tissue.