Cartogenina associada à microperfuração do osso subcondral na reparação da cartilagem articular em equinos

Abstract

The reconstruction of the articular cartilage damaged by development diseases, trauma and osteoarthritis has been a great challenge both in Medicine and in Veterinary. The objective of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic potential of kartogenin associated with subchondral micro-perforations in the repair of induced chondral defects. Six horses with a mean (± SD) weight of 342 ± 1.58, aging 7.2 ± 1.30 years and with a mean 7.1 ± 0.75 body score condition were used. By arthroscopy, a one cm2-chondral defect was induced in the lateral femoral trochlea followed by treatment with subchondral micro-perforation in both stifles. Four intra-articular weekly injections with kartogenin (20 mM) were performed in one knee (treated group), and the same procedure with Ringer lactate solution was performed in the contralateral joint (control group). Clinical, synovial fluid, ultrasonography and radiographic exams were performed for a period of 60 days and, at the end, a new arthroscopy was done to evaluate the repair process and to collect biopsy samples. Histological analysis showed a repair tissue mostly formed by fibrocartilage but with a mean percentage of 17.5% of hyaline cartilage. However, no statistical difference where detected among treated and control groups. The kartogenin therapy, according to the used protocol, did not promote any clinical benefit and was not effective in improving the quality or quantity of repair tissue in a model of equine femoral trochlea chondral defect treated with osteochondral micro-perforations.