Patent ID: 7959636
Filing Date: 2011-06-14
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61L

Abstract:
1. A method of repairing isolated chondral defects, comprising: providing a donor hemi-condyle comprising a synthetic specimen in the shape of a hemi-condyle, the synthetic specimen being formed of a poly (vinyl) alcohol hydrogel; forming a recipient socket in a lesion area of a lesion on a damaged, load bearing surface of a femoral condyle; harvesting a donor graft in the form of a plug corresponding in shape to the recipient socket formed in the femoral condyle from an area of the donor hemi-condyle corresponding to the lesion area of the femoral condyle, by securing the donor hemi-condyle in a workstation and cutting the donor graft from the donor hemi-condyle using a harvester; and implanting the donor graft in the recipient socket to anatomically re-establish the load bearing surface of the femoral condyle, the donor graft being capable of withstanding loading cycles of the femoral condyle.