Multi-Photon Microscopy - A Novel Method To Assess Human Cartilage Tissue Quality Prior To Osteochondral Transplantation

Purpose: Osteochondral allograft (OCA) transplantation offers an attractive treatment option as it can be used to repair large cartilage defects that otherwise would not heal. The currently accepted criterion for OCA selection for joint reconstruction is the percentage of viable chondrocytes, but this criterion alone may not be sufficient to ensure structural integrity and functional performance of allografts following transplantation. We sought to determine additional parameters that may indicate matrix integrity in the hope to improve transplantation success.