The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of full-thickness chondral defects on intratissue deformation patterns and matrix constituents in an experimental model mimicking in vivo cartilage-on-cartilage contact conditions.
Pairs of bovine osteochondral explants, in a unique cartilage-on-cartilage model system, were compressed uniaxially by 350 N during 2 s loading and 1.4 s unloading cycles (≈1700 repetitions). Tissue deformations under quasi-steady state load deformation response were measured with displacement encoded imaging with stimulated echoes (DENSE) in a 9.4 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Pre- and post-loading, T
Under compressive loading, strain magnitudes were elevated at the defect rim, with elevated tensile and compressive principal strains (Δϵ
This study demonstrates that the local biomechanical changes occurring after defect creation may induce tissue damage by increasing shear strains and depletion of cartilage constituents at the defect rim under compressive loading.