| abstract |
The present invention relates to a method for producing a collagen meniscus implant comprising obtaining a freshly excised non-human meniscus, rinsing it in an aqueous solution, drying the rinsed meniscus, shaping it so that its dimensions are similar to those of a medium-sized human meniscus, to extract the material that is not collagen-based from the shaped meniscus, and to sterilize it, thereby obtaining a meniscus implant. collagen containing at least 90% by weight of type I collagen, less than 0.5% by weight of glycosaminoglycan, and less than 600 ppm of DNA. The present invention also relates to a collagen meniscus implant prepared according to the method above. The present invention further relates to a biocompatible and bioabsorbable porous implant for meniscus repair. The implant comprises a three-dimensional network of collagen fibers oriented in a direction approximating the orientation of the collagen fibers of a human meniscus. The implant has a size and contour substantially equivalent to those of a human meniscus, and has a chemical composition similar to that of the collagen meniscus implant described above. |