Instant CEMTRO Cell (ICC), high density autologous chondrocytes implantation

36 ABSTRACT Regenerative medicine is a novel medical discipline with very promising perspectives for the treatment of numerous human disease conditions. In many such conditions it is still in the experimental phase. One of the fields in which the greatest advances have been made is cartilage treatment, ranging from the use of autologous chondrocyte cultures in a liquid medium to the utilization of biomaterials such as type I/III collagen membranes, and lastly cell dose augmentation with the Instant CEMTRO Cell (ICC) implantation of chondrocytes in membrane technique. In this regard, in Outerbridge grade III/IV cartilage lesions of the knee, ankle and now also the hip, the ICC technique can be used to regenerate the cartilage tissue. This is a regenerative medical technique, since hyaline cartilage tissue is formed with the same structure and function as the healthy joint cartilage. Furthermore, patients experience excellent functional recovery and are often able to return to sports activities.