Histologic evaluation of the depth of necrosis produced by argon beam coagulation: implications for use as adjuvant treatment of bone tumors.

Argon beam coagulation (ABC) has been advocated as adjuvant treatment after curettage of aggressive benign bone tumors. This study was done to evaluate the depth of necrosis in cancellous bone treated with ABC. A 6-month-old pig was sacrificed and 20 1.

Transphyseal anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using mesenchymal stem cells.

Background: Conventional techniques for reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament in skeletally immature patients risk potential iatrogenic growth disturbance because of drilling across the physis. Animal models have demonstrated mixed results regarding growth disturbances from soft tissue grafts across the physis.

Hypothesis: Mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow may be effective in preventing growth arrest after intra-articular anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Chondrocyte injection in distraction epiphysiolysis (rabbit model).

The purpose of this study was to determine if cultured chondrocytes could prevent premature closure of the physis after physeal distraction in a rabbit model. Epiphyseal distraction at the proximal tibial epiphysis was performed in 24 immature rabbits. Chondrocytes were harvested from the iliac apophysis.

Stem cell repair of physeal cartilage.

To evaluate the ability of cultured mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) to repair physeal defects, MSC-matrix constructs with 5% gelatin (group A), 10% gelatin/Gelfoam (Pharmacia, Peapack, NJ) (group B), and MSC grown in the presence of TGF-beta3 with Gelfoam (group C) were implanted in proximal tibial physeal defects created in 20 immature rabbits. Control groups (untreated partial defect and partial defect treated with Gelfoam) showed bony bar formation with varus deformities of 30 degrees and 28 degrees, respectively. Group A had an average 23 degrees varus deformity with bony bridge formation, and group B had mild varus angulation (average 14 degrees) of the proximal tibia.