Osteochondral Tissue Decontamination for Room-Temperature Preservation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods fail to effectively balance disinfection and preservation of osteochondral tissue fragments, leading to the discard of contaminated and devascularized fragments, which are critical for anatomic and functional joint reconstruction, necessitating alternative and often inferior surgical procedures.

Innovation Solution

A method involving decontamination with chlorhexidine, providone-iodine, or octenidine dihydrochloride, followed by storage in a serum-free culture medium at room temperature for up to 70 days, maintains at least 70% cell viability of osteochondral tissue.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If contaminated osteochondral tissue fragments are subjected to decontamination treatment, then bacterial contamination is reduced, but cell viability is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebacterial contaminationVSAvoidcell viability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The tissue fragments are decontaminated immediately at the time of harvest before storage. The decontamination step is performed as a preliminary action to remove bacterial contamination while the tissue is still viable, preventing contamination during subsequent storage periods without compromising cell viability when performed correctly

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs specific decontamination agents (chlorhexidine, povidone-iodine, iodophors, octenidine dihydrochloride, or polyhexanide) at controlled concentrations and exposure times. By optimizing these parameters, the method achieves effective bacterial reduction while maintaining cell viability above 70% after extended storage periods

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of time

If osteochondral tissue fragments are stored for extended periods, then delayed reimplantation is enabled, but cell viability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime flexibility for reimplantationVSAvoidcell viability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Decontamination is performed as a preliminary action immediately at harvest time, preparing the tissue for extended storage. This preliminary preparation prevents contamination during storage and maintains tissue quality, enabling delayed reimplantation while preserving cell viability through the storage period

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A serum-free culture medium serves as an intermediary storage environment that maintains cell viability during extended storage. The medium provides necessary nutrients and protective properties without promoting bacterial growth, acting as a mediator between the harvested tissue and the final reimplantation site

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If compromised osteoarticular fracture fragments are discarded, then infection risk is eliminated, but functional joint reconstruction options are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinfection riskVSAvoidreconstruction options
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The method performs preliminary decontamination at the time of harvest, transforming previously discardable contaminated fragments into viable graft candidates. This preliminary action eliminates infection risk through effective decontamination while preserving the fragments for anatomic reconstruction, thereby maintaining reconstruction versatility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of discarding contaminated osteoarticular fracture fragments, the method recovers and preserves them through controlled decontamination and storage protocols. The fragments are recovered with maintained viability and used for anatomic reconstruction, transforming a loss into a resource while ensuring safety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method effectively decontaminates and preserves osteochondral tissue fragments, allowing for their safe reimplantation and functional joint reconstruction by maintaining high cell viability during extended storage.

Implementation Method 1

contacting the osteochondral tissue with chlorhexidine, providone-iodine, an iodophor, octenidine dihydrochloride or polyhexanide

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAntibacterial action:

Implementation Method 2

storing the osteochondral tissue at room temperature in a tissue storage container or bag comprising serum-free culture medium

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCell preservation:

Implementation Method 3

adding a resazurin solution to the medium and determining the fluorescence level, wherein increased fluorescence indicates higher cell viability

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluorescence: Fluorescence

Data Source

PatentUS20250255293A1Tissue decontamination and preservation system
Publication Date: 2025.08.14 THE CURATORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI

AI summary

The present invention provides methods and compositions for decontamination and preservation osteochondral tissue, such as an osteoarticular fracture fragment, meniscus, meniscal tissue, cartilage or other component of a joint or bone tissue fragment autograft, for extended periods of time at room temperature in a tissue storage container or bag. The invention further provides a process for maintaining the sterility of the osteochondral tissue using the apparatus as described.