Mechanical Effects of Autogenous Osteochondral Surgical Grafting Procedures and Instrumentation on Grafts of Articular Cartilage

PURPOSE: To analyze the mechanical effects of autogenous osteochondral grafting procedures on articular cartilage. METHODS: The intensity, duration, and interval (indexes of stiffness, surface irregularity, and thickness) of the cartilage were assessed in a porcine model using an ultrasonic measurement system. In 7 of 12 knees, 6-mm-diameter plugs were harvested from the donor knees and grafted into 5-mm recipient holes at 3 different points per knee (21 plugs). In the remaining 5 knees, 5-mm plugs were harvested and returned to their original position (28 plugs). RESULTS: No significant differences in the intensity, duration, and interval of the cartilage were observed with the plugs before harvesting and after grafting by the paired t test. The 3 indexes of the 6- and 5-mm plugs that were grafted correlated significantly with those before they were. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that osteochondral graft surgery does not affect the stiffness, surface irregularity, and thickness of the cartilage of the plugs at time zero.