The use of a hydrogel implant in the repair of osteochondral defects of the knee: A biomechanical evaluation of restoration of native contact pressures in cadaver knees.

Background: Osteochondral injuries have been treated by a variety of methods, each having its own drawbacks. The purpose of this study was to determine the biomechanical feasibility of using a hydrogel implant replacement for an osteochondral core defect. The hypothesis of this study was that the contact pressure of the native knee can be recreated with the use of a hydrogel implant.