Patent ID: 7722616
Filing Date: 2010-05-25
Classification: A61L

Abstract:
1. A method for the treatment of a cartilage lesion by implantation of a graft at the cartilage lesion site by arthroscopic techniques, said method comprising the steps of: preparing an autologous and/or allogenic graft comprising a biological material suitable for implantation by arthroscopic techniques, by growing autologous and/or allogenic cells chosen from the group consisting of chondrocytes, osteocytes, mesenchymal cells, and stem cells onto three-dimensional scaffolds, for a period of time of seven to fourteen days, wherein said scaffolds comprise at least one hyaluronic acid derivative that is an ester of hyaluronic acid, wherein part or all of the carboxy functions of said hyaluronic acid are esterified with alcohols of the arylaliphatic series; circumscribing the cartilage lesion by creating a circular imprint by means of a mapper-sampler; cutting out and removing a piece of damaged cartilage tissue having the same size and shape as the imprint; preparing the so obtained biological material for arthroscopic implantation by reducing said biological material by means of the mapper-sampler to the size and shape of said imprint; introducing the so reduced biological material into a cannula and applying the same to the cartilage lesion site.