Biphasic bioresorbable scaffold (TruFit®) in knee osteochondral defects: 3-T MRI evaluation of osteointegration in patients with a 5-year minimum follow-up

• Published in: Musculoskeletal surgery Vol. 102; no. 2; pp. 191 - 199
• Main Authors: Bugelli, G., Ascione, F., Dell’Osso, G., Zampa, V., Giannotti, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Milan Springer Milan 01.08.2018; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Absorbable Implants; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arthroscopy; Bone Substitutes - therapeutic use; Calcium Sulfate - therapeutic use; Cartilage, Articular - pathology; Female; Femur - pathology; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Knee; Knee Joint - surgery; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Morphology; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Original Article; Orthopedics; Osseointegration; Polylactic Acid-Polyglycolic Acid Copolymer - therapeutic use; Retrospective Studies; Surgical Orthopedics; Tibia - pathology; Tissue Scaffolds; Osteointegration; Scaffold; TruFit plug; Osteochondral lesions; Knee arthroscopy
• ISSN: 2035-5106; 2035-5114
• DOI: 10.1007/s12306-017-0522-8

Purpose The aim of this study is to follow morphological imaging characteristics and osteointegration of TruFit ® bone graft substitute (BGS) plugs in cases of chondral and osteochondral defects of the articular surface of the knee joint, using high-quality cartilage-sensitive 3-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), linked to clinical outcomes. Methods The MRI was used to assess osteointegration and biological evolution of the TruFit ® BGS plugs in cases with minimum 5-year follow-up: The TruFit ® plug was used in 46 patients for a total of 47 cases with mean age of 57.89 (range 32–80). In this study, we reviewed only the cases with minimum follow-up of 5 years: 5 patients with mean age 64.4 years (minimum 38, maximum 80). The mean follow-up was 71 months (range 63–77). Patients were evaluated clinically, with Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale and MOCART Scale. Results 3-T MRI, which is preferable to 1.5 T for the better signal-to-noise ratio, contrast and the ability to acquire morphological images at higher spatial resolution, shows a satisfactory integration of bone scaffolds in studied cases for more than 5 years and a satisfactory restoration of the articular cartilage, with the exception of a case of which we still have to consider the factors age, type of lesion and the relationship between the plugs implanted. Conclusion Clinical and radiological results significantly improve in a longer follow-up time.