# US 6,352,558 B1 · Method for promoting regeneration of surface cartilage in a damage joint > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,352,558 B1 - Document ID: US6352558B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 09/473,981 - Filed: 1999-12-29 - Granted: 2002-03-05 - Earliest claimed: 1999-12-29 - Assignees: Ed. Geistlich Soehne AG fuer Chemische Industrie - Inventors: Myron Spector - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6352558B1 ## CPC - A61F 2/30756: {Cartilage endoprostheses (A61F2/3603 takes precedence)} - A61F 2002/30011: {differing in porosity} - A61F 2002/30032: {differing in absorbability or resorbability, i.e. in absorption or resorption time} - A61F 2002/30761: {Support means for artificial cartilage, e.g. cartilage defect covering membranes} - A61F 2002/30971: {Laminates, i.e. layered products} - A61F 2310/00371: Collagen - Y10S 623/908: Bone - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A method of promoting regeneration of surface cartilage of a joint includes the steps of forming punctures in a subchondral plate of an area of the joint to be treated, covering the puncture and the area to be treated with a chondrocyte-free patch made of a sheet of collagen membrane material without adding chondrocytes to the area to be treated, fixing the patch over the area to be treated, and allowing the area to be treated to regenerate cartilage without adding chondrocytes to the area to be treated. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of promoting regeneration of surface cartilage of a joint, comprising: forming a plurality of punctures in a subchondral plate of an area of said joint to be treated; covering the area to be treated, including the plurality of said punctures, with a chondrocyte-free patch comprised of a sheet of collagen membrane material without adding chondrocytes to said area to be treated; fixing the patch over said area; and allowing said area to regenerate cartilage without adding chondrocytes to said area. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further including the step of removing cartilage defects from said area to be treated, prior to forming said punctures. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the step of removing said cartilage defects comprises scraping of calcified cartilage from said area to be treated. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said punctures are formed to a depth of about 0.5-5 mm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein said punctures have a width of about 0.2-1.5 mm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein said punctures are formed to a depth of about 1.5-2 mm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein said punctures have a width of about 0.5-1 mm. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein said punctures have a width of about 0.8 mm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said collagen membrane material is predominantly collagen II. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said collagen membrane material is comprised of at least one barrier layer having at least one smooth face so as to inhibit cell adhesion thereon and act as a barrier to prevent passage of cells therethrough. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein said barrier layer further has a fibrous face opposite said smooth face, said fibrous face allowing cell growth thereon. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein said barrier layer is predominantly collagen I, collagen III or a mixture thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein said collagen membrane further comprises a matrix layer predominantly of collagen II having an open sponge-like texture. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein said barrier layer, said matrix layer or both, are impregnated with glycosaminoglycan. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the glycosaminoglycan is hyaluronic acid, chondroitin 6-sulphate, keratin sulphate or dermatan sulphate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11 wherein said membrane material further comprises a second barrier layer, with a resorbable polymer layer sandwiched between the barrier layers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 wherein said polymer is a polylactic acid polymer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the patch is fixed over the area to be treated by adhesively bonding the patch to cartilage surrounding said area to be treated. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the patch is fixed over the area to be treated by suturing the patch to cartilage surrounding said area to be treated. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising implanting a chondrocyte-free resorbable bone mineral implant material into a region of bone injury in the area to be treated, prior to fixing said patch over said area to be treated.