Cryopreservation of Cartilage for Transplantation in Rhinoplasty: A Literature Review / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

Although many rhinosurgeons still use cryopreserved septal or rib cartilage for grafts in rhinoplasty, there is no consensus whether it is an effective method preserving the chondrocyte viability. To propose a best option in the ex-vivo preservation of cartilage by literature review. A critical review of the published literature using PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) with particular emphasis on studies which include cartilage cryopreservation was performed. Using databases, articles published from 1956 through 2011 for all available studies reporting cryopreservation of cartilage were investigated. Keywords used in this search were "cryopreservation", "nasal cartilage", "articular cartilage", "chondrocytes", and "rhinoplasty". We could confirm that isolated chondrocytes can be effectively cryopreserved, yet the survival of chondrocytes in cryopreserved intact cartilage tissue is inadequate and extremely variable. Hypothermic preservation of intact cartilage in culture media showed good cell viability and function up to 2 weeks only. Though it is possible to cryopreserve one cell-layer tissue with the preservation of a high percentage of the initial cells, successful methods for cryopreservation of whole cartilage have not been achieved despite numerous efforts world-wide. Preserving the whole cartilage tissue at 4℃ in culture media proved that the tissue showed good viability with metabolic activity for 2 weeks.