Future Techniques
• Biologic Tissue Engineering is continuing to bring exciting new approaches from the lab to the practical application of medicine and surgery. It may be possible to use cells from the bone marrow or the lining of the bone (periosteum) that have multiple potential capability and transform them into joint surface cartilage.

• Also in the early testing phase are a variety of patches to directly repair a cartilage defect. These bio-patches, such as porcine small intestinal mucosa, have demonstrated the ability to take on the characteristics of the tissues where implanted elsewhere in the body.

• Other bio-patches may have the predominant purpose of acting as a temporary home for chondrocytes (cartilage cells). They may be used to deliver and maintain the new cartilage cells to the proper position until the healing response takes effect. There is also other research toward a paste-like-conduit that could be
troweled into a joint surface defect like applying brick mortar.