New Inform~ From the 1998 Research Report University of California, Davis 320 New technique to repair damaged joints Cartilage defects in the horse resulting from injury or disease do not heal well. Grafts have been used to treat defects but have had poor results. An alternative approach to grafts is to repopulate the defective area with live cartilage cells which are capable of synthesizing healthy new cartilage. The feasibility of this technique is dependent on a nontoxic matrix in which to surgically introduce the cells. The objective of a study at the University of California, Davis, (headed by Dr. Hilary P. Benton) was to experiment with alginates (a nontoxic seaweed-derived gelling agent used as a food additive) to generate the optimal matrix composition for repair of cartilage defects. The ultimate goal of this work was to use these gels to surgically replace joint defects with a healthy cartilage matrix and return the injured or diseased horses to their former athletic careers. Horse cartilage was dissected from the joint surface and cells were removed by enzyme digestion. These cells were grown in alginate and assessed at regular intervals for the quality of the cartilage they produced. It was determined that cartilage cells can be maintained, embedded in alginate, under conditions which allow the production of a healthy cartilage matrix. This study demonstrates a method for maintaining healthy cartilage cells which sustain a cartilage-like matrix for long periods of time. It is hoped that this knowledge will lead to a better technique to improve the treatment of joint problems in horses. Joint surface partial grafts Injured areas of joint cartilage do not heal well with time alone. Affected joints often progress to an arthritic condition. An earlier study demonstrated that grafts taken from joint cartilage in the horse survived when placed in defects created in another joint. The question is whether the grafts will survive and remain functional for a long period of time or whether they will degenerate over time and no longer be functional. The overall goal of another UCD study (headed by Dr. Susan Stover) was to find a treatment method that ~vould l) allow or promote injured areas to form normal joint cartilage or 2) replace joint cartilage in the injured area. The specific aim of this study was to determine if grafted joints maintained viable joint cartilage after one year of exercise. A defect was created in the joint surface in the stifle joints of horses. One of these defects was grafted with cartilage from another joint. The horses were allowed to recover from surgery and then exercised on a treadmill for one year. The grafted and non-grafted defects were compared after one year. It was determined that the joint cartilage grafts survived in the treated joint, but deteriorated over time under the exercise regimen used in the study. This study was able to rule out the use of partial joint cartilage grafts as a treatment method for the repair of joint cartilage injuries in horses that are intended for performance. JOURNAL OF EQUINE VETERINARY SCIENCE

New technique to repair damaged joints

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New Inform~

From the 1998 Research Report University of California, Davis

320

New technique to repair damaged joints

Cartilage defects in the horse resulting from injury or disease do not heal well. Grafts have been used to treat defects but have had poor results. An alternative approach to grafts is to repopulate the defective area with live cartilage cells which are capable of synthesizing healthy new cartilage. The feasibility of this technique is dependent on a nontoxic matrix in which to surgically introduce the cells.

The objective of a study at the University of California, Davis, (headed by Dr. Hilary P. Benton) was to experiment with alginates (a nontoxic seaweed-derived gelling agent used as a food additive) to generate the optimal matrix composition for repair of cartilage defects. The ultimate goal of this work was to use these gels to surgically replace joint defects with a healthy cartilage matrix and return the injured or diseased horses to their former athletic careers. Horse cartilage was dissected from the joint surface and cells were removed by enzyme digestion. These cells were grown in alginate and assessed at regular intervals for the quality of the cartilage they produced.

It was determined that cartilage cells can be maintained, embedded in alginate, under conditions which allow the production of a healthy cartilage matrix.

This study demonstrates a method for maintaining healthy cartilage cells which sustain a cartilage-like matrix for long periods of time. It is hoped that this knowledge will lead to a better technique to improve the treatment of joint problems in horses.

Joint surface partial grafts

Injured areas of joint cartilage do not heal well with time alone. Affected joints often progress to an arthritic condition. An earlier study demonstrated that grafts taken from joint cartilage in the horse survived when placed in defects created in another joint. The question is whether the grafts will survive and remain functional for a long period of time or whether they will degenerate over time and no longer be functional.

The overall goal of another UCD study (headed by Dr. Susan Stover) was to find a treatment method that ~vould l) allow or promote injured areas to form normal joint cartilage or 2) replace joint cartilage in the injured area. The specific aim of this study was to determine if grafted joints maintained viable joint cartilage after one year of exercise.

A defect was created in the joint surface in the stifle joints of horses. One of these defects was grafted with cartilage from another joint. The horses were allowed to recover from surgery and then exercised on a treadmill for one year. The grafted and non-grafted defects were compared after one year.

It was determined that the joint cartilage grafts survived in the treated joint, but deteriorated over time under the exercise regimen used in the study. This study was able to rule out the use of partial joint cartilage grafts as a treatment method for the repair of joint cartilage injuries in horses that are intended for performance.

JOURNAL OF EQUINE VETERINARY SCIENCE