A Biologic Joint Replacement Strategy to Treat Patients with Severe Knee Trauma and Posttraumatic Knee Osteoarthritis

Significant knee damage from athletic activities, military training, blunt trauma, or penetrating trauma inevitably leads to dysfunction, pain, and post-traumatic osteoarthritis PTOA, and is the most common unfitting condition in medically retired military personnel. The subject and purpose of the research was optimization of articular tissue transplantation strategies to functionally rebuild damaged knees. Biologic joint restoration, in the form of osteochondral and meniscal allograft transplantation, mitigates the limitations of artificial joint replacements while allowing return to full activity when successful. We have developed novel methods and techniques that allow for biologic restoration of damaged cartilage, meniscus and bone with viable tissues that can integrate and function at high levels. Our approach allows us to preserve organ donor tissues at the highest level of quality for more than twice as long as standard tissue bank methods, replace entire joint surfaces with healthy bone and cartilage, and replace the entire meniscus with a viable, functional meniscus. The scope of the research for this project was to complete basic science, preclinical translational, and clinical aims that determine and validate the most optimal implementation of methods and techniques in order to improve outcomes in civilian and military patients.