Cartilage slicing apparatus and methods therefor

An apparatus for slicing a cartilage sample, the apparatus having a longitudinal axis extending in forward and rearward directions, the apparatus comprising:

• a rear cartilage support cup;
• a cartilage clamp positioned forward of the rear cartilage support cup,
• the cartilage clamp having first and second clamp members, the first clamp member being spaced apart from and aligned with the second clamp member in a clamping direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, and at least one of the first and second clamp members being movable parallel to the clamping direction;
• a front cartilage support, the front cartilage support positioned forward of the cartilage clamp;
• a cartilage receiving region bounded by the first and second clamp members, the front cartilage support, and the rear cartilage support cup;
• and
• a cartilage cutting element positioned forward of the cartilage clamp, the cartilage cutting element spaced rearwardly from the front cartilage support by a cartilage slice thickness, the cartilage cutting element being movable across the cartilage receiving region in a cutting direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.