Figure 3.

Photomicrographs of cartilage plugs (between the arrows). (a,b) At four weeks postoperatively, three plugs were still flush with the surrounding cartilage and retained the hyaline cartilage characteristics (a), while three plugs had sunk or become tilted and their surfaces were covered with newly formed fibrocartilaginous tissue (b). (c,d) At 12 weeks postoperatively, 6 plugs retained the hyaline cartilage characteristics (c), while 3 plugs had sunk or become tilted and their surfaces were covered with fibrous tissue (d). Safranin-O fast-green staining; original magnification ×2.5.