Patent ID: 7537780

Claim:
A method for treatment of cartilage lesions comprising steps: a) isolating autologous or heterologous chondrocytes or prviding stem cells that can be differentiated into chondrocytes; b) expanding said isolated chondrocytes or stem cells in a growth medium; c) suspending said expanded chondrocytes or stem cells in a collagen-containing solution; d) providing a biodegradable support matrix containing plurality of pores; e) incorporating the suspension obtained in step c) into said support matrix thereby producing a seeded support matrix; f) preparing an implantable construct for implantation into said cartilage lesion by activating said chondrocytes or stem cells by subjecting said seeded support matrix to conditions promoting activation and propagation of said chondrocytes or stem cells within said support matrix, wherein said conditions for activation and propagation of chondrocytes or stem cells comprise perfusing said seeded support matrix with a culture medium at a flow rate from about 1 μL/min to about 500 μL/min and during said perfusing, applying to said seeded support matrix a cyclic hydrostatic pressure from about 0.01 MPa to about 10 MPa above atmospheric pressure at about 0.01 to about 1 Hz for from about 1 to about 8 hours followed by applying a static atmospheric pressure for from 16 to about 23 hours; g) implanting said construct into said cartilage lesion; and h) depositing a biodegradable polyethylene glycol cross-linked with methylated collagen over said construct, wherein said implanting of said construct into said cartilage lesion and said deposition of said polyethylene glycol cross-linked with methylated collagen over said implanted construct results, within three months, in integration of said construct into a native cartilage of the lesion and in formation of a superficial cartilage layer that overgrows said polyethylene glycol cross-linked with methylated collagen.