Cartilage repair mixture containing allograft chondrocytes

Abstract

The invention is directed toward a sterile cartilage defect implant material comprising milled lyophilized allograft cartilage pieces ranging from 0.01 mm to 1.0 mm in size in a bioabsorbable carrier taken from a group consisting of sodium hyaluronate, hyaluronic acid and its derivatives, gelatin, collagen, chitosan, alginate, buffered PBS, Dextran or mixed polymers with allograft chondrocytes added in an amount ranging from 2.5×10 5 to 2.5×10 7 .

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         18 . A method of placing a cartilage defect material in a cartilage defect, said material comprising allograft articular cartilage which has been lyophilized and mixed in a bioabsorbable carrier comprising the steps of:
 (a) cutting patient tissue at a site of a cartilage defect to remove the diseased area of cartilage;   (b) placing a mixture of milled allograft cartilage in a bioabsorbable carrier in the area where cartilage has been removed;   (c) adding allograft chondrocytes taken from a human donor having an age ranging from about 3 months to about 20 years to said mixture of milled allograft cartilage in a bioabsorbable carrier;   (d) sealing a cover with a biological glue over the mixture of milled allograft cartilage in a bioabsorbable carrier and added allograft chondrocytes to contain the mixture in cartilage defect site for a predetermined period of time to allow the formation of cartilage.   
     
     
         19 . A sterile cartilage defect material as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said milled cartilage pieces have been lyophilized to have a water content ranging from about 0.1% to about 8.0%. 
     
     
         20 . A sterile cartilage repair material as claimed in  claim 18  wherein said allograft chondrocytes are expanded growth chondrocytes added in amount ranging from 2.5×10 5  to about 2.5×10 7 .