Sulzer Orthopedics Inc.

Sulzer Medizinaltechnik

Franz Rieser

Werner Muller

Pierre Mainil-Varlet

Christoph P Saager

Eric Dardel

Werner Mueller-Glauser

Cartilage tissue and implants comprising tissue are produced in vitro starting from cells having the ability to form an extracellular cartilage matrix. Such cells are brought into a cell space ( ) and are left in this cell space for producing an extracellular cartilage matrix. The cells are brought into the cell space to have a cell density of ca. 5&times;10 to 10 cells per cm of cell space. The cell space ( ) is at least partly separated from a culture medium space ( ) surrounding the cell space by means of a semi-permeable wall ( ) or by an open-pore wall acting as convection barrier. The open-pore wall can be designed as a plate ( ) made of a bone substitute material and constituting the bottom of the cell space ( ). The cells settle on such a plate ( ) and the cartilage tissue growing in the cell space ( ). The cells settle on such a plate ( ) and the cartilage tissue growing in the cell space ( ) grows into pores or surface roughness of the plate, whereby an implant forms which consists of a bone substitute plate ( ) and a cartilage layer covering the plate and whereby the two implant parts are connected to each other in positively engaged manner by being grown together.

Method for producing cartilage tissue and implants for repairing enchondral and osteochondral defects as well as arrangement for carrying out the method

Cartilage tissue and implants comprising cartilage tissue are produced in vitro starting from cells having the ability to form an extracellular cartilage matrix. Such cells are brought into a cell space (,) and are left in this cell space for producing an extracellular cartilage matrix. The cells are brought into the cell space to have a cell density of ca. 5&times;10,to 10,cells per cm,of cell space. The cell space (,) is at least partly separated from a culture medium space (,) surrounding the cell space by a semi-permeable wall (,) or by an open-pore wall acting as convection barrier. The open-pore wall can be designed as a plate (,) made of a bone substitute material and constituting the bottom of the cell space (,). The cells settle on such a plate (,) and the cartilage tissue growing in the cell space (,) grows into pores or surface roughness of the plate, whereby an implant forms which consists of a bone substitute plate (,) and a cartilage layer covering the plate and whereby the two implant parts are connected to each other in positively engaged manner by being grown together.

Method for making cartilage and implants

A process for the production of prostheses wherein endogenic tissue material is substantially mechanically comminuted and, if necessary, additionally enzymatically digested to tissue particles, whose sizes fall within very narrow limits. A preshaped carrier material is treated with the resultant suspension. In the case of a porous carrier material the suspension is filtered through the material, whereas with less or non-porous carrier material the suspension is applied to the material surface by centrifuging. Unlike the case of corresponding prior art processes, as a result of this improvement, the process according to the invention can be performed very rapidly, i.e., directly during the operation and in a closed system.

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Wiesendangen, Switzerland

Franz Rieser