# The Synovial Sealant Variant for Minced Cartilage Repair: A Technical Note and Retrospective Study

## TL;DR

A new cartilage repair technique using minced cartilage and synovial sealant shows promising results in reducing pain and improving function in patients with retropatellar cartilage defects.

## Contribution

A modified autologous cartilage repair technique using synovial sealant is introduced and evaluated for retropatellar cartilage defects.

## Key findings

- The modified technique showed good clinical results with low pain (VAS = 1.9) and high activity scores (KOOS Activity = 96.6) after 18 months.
- The procedure is reproducible, efficient, and cost-effective for retropatellar cartilage defects.
- Synovial tissue may enhance cartilage regeneration and improve graft stability.

## Abstract

Cartilage defects are a common pathology in active people and affect quality of life. A common treatment option is treatment with minced cartilage (MC). As conservative therapy has a limited effect, surgical treatments vary in terms of procedure and results. A modified technique for autologous cartilage repair is presented here.

MC was modified by adding a synovial sealant. This improves the stability of the graft, allowing the cartilage to proliferate. The synovial tissue has the potential to stimulate the implanted cartilage, which promotes healing and regeneration. The clinical and functional results of the modified technique were examined in a retrospective case series.

The technique has proven to be reproducible for retropatellar cartilage defects and is both efficient and cost effective. MC with synovial sealing was performed in ten patients with retropatellar cartilage damage. In the conducted cases serious, 10 patients were available for follow-up after 18 ± 3 months. Patients showed good clinical results in terms of pain (VAS = 1.9, KOOS Pain = 89.7), symptoms (KOOS Symptoms = 83.6), and daily activity (KOOS Activity = 96.6).

The procedure combines the advantages of autologous cartilage repair with a one-stage surgical approach. It utilizes the regenerative potential of synovial tissue while providing improved mechanical stability. This technique offers a cost-effective, autologous solution for full-thickness cartilage defects, and shows promising clinical results in the medium term.