Repair of sheep articular cartilage defects with a rabbit costal perichondrial graft

Abstract

A xenograft of costal rabbit perichondrium was transplanted to an articular cartilage defect in a sheep knee. After 12 weeks, cartilage was formed with increased calcification of the basal layer and a mean of 74 percent collagen type II. The synovium did not show any infiltration, indicating the absence of any immunologic reaction.