The short answer is no. The long answer is that not only is the cartilage in different areas of different thicknesses (the patella and femoral condyles are usually thicker than the trochlear groove and tibial plateaus), the composition of the matrix is different. In fact, the orientation of the collagen bundles in the matrix is somewhat like a fingerprint for each area of the joint. These variations must be strongly considered and respected when transplanting cartilage from one site of the knee to another (see osteochondral autograft). |