Patent ID: 8940698
Filing Date: 2015-01-27
Classification: A61F,A61K,A61L,A61P

Abstract:
1. A method of preparing a cartilage composition comprises the steps of: a) obtaining a hyaline cartilage material, the material being in the form of pieces of cartilage non-demineralized and not subjected to demineralization treatments or harsh chemicals which adversely affect the material properties of the cartilage material and not subjecting the material to elevated temperatures greater than 50 degrees C.; b) washing the cartilage material in normal saline or balanced salt solution using several washes; c) rapidly freezing and drying the material to about 3 to 5 percent moisture content; d) preserving the pieces of cartilage material by freeze drying, freezing or cryo-preserving and/or dried; e) intermittently grinding, milling or shaving the preserved pieces of cartilage material without raising the material temperature above 40 degrees C. to form a ground, milled or shaved material of a cartilage fluff and cartilage particles; f) sieving the cartilage fluff and particles through a sieve having openings up to 1000 μm after each intermittent grinding; g) allowing the cartilage particles less than the size of the sieve openings to pass; h) collecting the cartilage fluff made of a plurality of branched strands intertwined to form a self-supporting matrix of cartilage fluff, each strand being 1000 μm to 6000 μm, to be formed in the sieve, the cartilage fluff having a cohesive characteristic wherein the cartilage fluff sticks to itself to form a continuous network of intertwined branched strands of cartilage fluff packing material having a physical configuration resembling a cotton composition for packing into defects in articular cartilage or bone; and i) followed by infusing the cartilage fluff with blood.