Treatment of osteochondral defects with tendon autografts in a dog knee model

Tendon autograft was used for the treatment of osteochondral defects induce d experimentally in dogs' knees. Osteochondral defects were created on the femoral condyles in both knees of five dogs. The tendon was harvested from the anterior cruris, and a knot was tied in the middle. Then two tunnels we re bored in the medial condyle, The free ends of the tendon were individual ly inserted into the tunnels and pulled from the openings on the medial rec essus side so that the knot itself sat within the osteochondral defect. The lateral condyle was left untreated for comparison. At 24 weeks postoperati vely, the dogs were killed and macroscopical and histological examinations were performed. A congruous articular surface had formed, and the grafted t endon was bonded into the defect. The tendon was not degraded, and was cove red with reparative tissue as seen microscopically. Despite weight-bearing being allowed in the early stages after the operation, no sign of degradati on was noted in the tendon.