Crafting of cartilage

Abstract

A shaped cartilage matrix isolated from a human or animal where the cartilage has been crafted to facilitate disinfection, cleaning, devitalization, recellularization, and/or integration after implantation. Also, a process for repairing a cartilage defect with the cartilage matrix. The matrix is in the form of an osteochondral plug including a cartilage cap ad subchondral bone, wherein one or more gaps, slats, bores, or channels extend through the tidemark at the interface between the cartilage cap and the subchondral bone.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A shaped cartilage matrix isolated from a human or animal, comprising cartilage which is crafted to facilitate disinfection, cleaning, devitalization, recellularization, and integration after implantation; and wherein said cartilage matrix is isolated from whole condyles, whole plateaus, hemicondyles, hemiplateaus, femoral heads, phalanges, talus, tibia, fibula, rib, intervertebral discs, menisci, nose, or ear,
 wherein said cartilage matrix is in the form of osteochondral plug;   wherein said osteochondral plug comprises a cartilage cap and a subchondral bone portion contacted to said cartilage cap with a tidemark at an interface between the cartilage and subschondral bone;   wherein said osteochondral plug has a straight cylindrical shape, a step cylindrical shape, or a dumbbell shape;   wherein the subchondral bone portion of said osteochondral plug gaps, bores, slots, or channels extending through the tidemark at the cartilage and subchondral bone interface; and   wherein said modification facilitates disinfection, cleaning, devitalization, recellularization in vivo, in situ, or in vitro, and integration after implantation.   
     
     
         2 . A process for repairing a cartilage defect and implanting a cartilage graft into a human or animal, comprising a. crafting the cartilage matrix of  claim 1  into individual grafts; b. disinfecting and cleaning said cartilage graft; c. applying a pretreatment solution to said cartilage graft; d. removing cellular debris using an extracting solution to produce a devitalized cartilage graft; e. implanting said cartilage graft into said cartilage defect with or without an insertion device; and f. sealing the implanted cartilage graft to recipient tissue; wherein said devitalized cartilage graft is recellularized with viable cells to render said tissue vital before or after said implanting; wherein said recellularizing devitalized cartilage graft is carried out in vitro, in vivo, or in situ; and wherein said devitalized cartilage graft is optionally stored between said removing cellular debris and recellularizing steps. 
     
     
         3 . A repaired cartilage defect repaired by the process of  claim 2 . 
     
     
         4 . The cartilage matrix of  claim 1 , wherein said osteochondral plug is crafted to have one or multiple gap(s). 
     
     
         5 . The cartilage matrix of  claim 1 , wherein said osteochondral plug is drilled and/or milled from the bottom of the subchondral bone portion to form one or more channels. 
     
     
         6 . The cartilage matrix of  claim 1 , wherein said osteochondral plug is drilled and/or milled on the cylindrical surface of the subchondral bone portion at the cartilage and subchondral bone interface to form one or more through channels. 
     
     
         7 . The cartilage matrix of  claim 1 , wherein said osteochondral plug is drilled and/or milled on the cylindrical surface of the subchondral bone portion at the cartilage and subchondral bone interface to form one or more slots. 
     
     
         8 . The cartilage matrix of  claim 1 , wherein the circumferential surface area of said cartilage cap on said osteochondral plug is modified to facilitate the integration of graft tissue to a recipient tissue. 
     
     
         9 . The cartilage matrix of  claim 8 , wherein said cartilage cap is crafted to have a star shape or tapered cylindrical shape to maximize the circumferential surface area of said cartilage cap on said osteochondral plug and/or to prevent rotation of said osteochondral plug in the recipient tissue. 
     
     
         10 . The cartilage matrix  claim 8 , wherein said cartilage caps are crafted to increase circumferential surface area by spraying or blasting microparticles or embossing with a straight or non-straight line pattern or cross-line pattern onto the circumferential surface. 
     
     
         11 . The cartilage matrix of  claim 1 , wherein the circumferential surface and/or the superficial surface of said cartilage cap on said osteochondral plug is microperforated to facilitate disinfection, cleaning, devitalization, recellularization in vivo, in situ, or in vitro, and the integration of graft tissue to a recipient tissue. 
     
     
         12 . The cartilage matrix of  claim 4 , wherein said cartilage cap is sectioned off the subchondral bone portion to become a cartilage disc; wherein said cartilage disc has a full or partial depth; wherein said full or partial depth cartilage disc has one or more gaps starting from the deep zone of said cartilage disc; and wherein said gaps end at the deep, middle, or superficial zone of said cartilage cap along the depth direction and do not penetrate the superficial surface of said cartilage disc. 
     
     
         13 . The cartilage matrix of  claim 5 , wherein said cartilage cap is sectioned off the subchondral bone portion to become a cartilage disc; wherein said cartilage disc has a full or partial depth; and wherein said full or partial depth cartilage disc has one or more channels starting from the deep zone of said cartilage disc; and wherein said channels end at the deep, middle, or superficial zone of said cartilage disc along the depth direction and do not penetrate the superficial surface of said cartilage disc. 
     
     
         14 . The cartilage matrix of  claim 6 , wherein said cartilage cap is sectioned off the subchondral bone portion to become a cartilage disc; wherein said cartilage disc has a full or partial depth; and wherein said full or partial depth cartilage disc has one or more through channels that are also parallel to the superficial surface of said cartilage disc and start at the deep zone of said cartilage disc; and wherein said channels occupy portions of the deep and/or middle zone of said cartilage disc along the depth direction and do not occupy the superficial zone of said cartilage disc. 
     
     
         15 . The cartilage matrix of  claim 7 , wherein said cartilage cap is sectioned off the subchondral bone portion to become a cartilage disc; wherein said cartilage disc has a full or partial depth; and wherein said full or partial depth cartilage disc has one or more slots starting at the deep zone of said cartilage disc; and wherein said slots occupy portions of the deep and/or middle zone of said cartilage disc along the depth direction and do not occupy the superficial zone of said cartilage disc. 
     
     
         16 . The cartilage matrix of  claim 1 , wherein said cartilage matrix is sectioned, shaved, or skived into cartilage slices and wherein said cartilage slices are tailored to have circular, square, triangular or star shapes. 
     
     
         17 . The cartilage matrix of  claim 1 , wherein said cartilage matrix is shaved or skived into cartilage curls or flakes in irregular shapes. 
     
     
         18 . The cartilage matrix of  claim 17 , wherein said cartilage curls or flakes are mixed with a carrier. 
     
     
         19 . A shaped cartilage matrix isolated from a human or animal, comprising cartilage which is crafted, cleaned, disinfected, and devitalized. 
     
     
         20 . A shaped cartilage matrix isolated from a human or animal, comprising cartilage which is crafted, cleaned, disinfected, devitalized, and recellularized.