OBJECTIVETo repair cartilage defects at non-weight-bearing area of the femoral condyle in rabbits with invitro amplified cartilage cell using calcium alginate column scaffold combined with calcium alginate gel injection, and to study repair effects of combination with different form of the same material.

METHODSTwenty-four New Zealand rabbits were divided into 4 groups randomly. The wounds of rabbits in the Group 1 were repaired with injection of calcium alginate gel; the wounds of rabbits in the Group 2 were repaired with in planting of calcium alginate column scaffold; the wounds of rabbits in the Group 3 were repaired with in planting of calcium alginate column supporter firstly, and then injection of calcium alginate gel at the surrounding; and Group 4 is control group, the rabbits in the group were repair and without any support. The repair effects were demonstrated with Xij, and the effects of all animals were studied with statistical analysis.

RESULTSThe Xij scores of each rabbits were calculated, and the scores in four groups were compared. The statistical results showed that combination therapy was better than other methods (F = 69.0, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe calcium alginate with column shape has better shaping effects and certain mechanical strength. The calcium alginate gel has better stick nature and can be used to integrate artifical material with normal structure. They can be used together, which meeting the desire of repair and integration in cartilaginous tissue engineering.