BioCartilage augmentation of marrow stimulation procedures for cartilage defects of the knee: Two-year clinical outcomes.
Academic Article
Overview
abstract
BACKGROUND: The present study evaluated short-term outcomes of microfracture augmented with micronized allograft cartilage matrix (BioCartilage) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for symptomatic focal femoral condyle or trochlea cartilage defects. METHODS: Patients who underwent microfracture augmented with BioCartilage and PRP for isolated contained chondral defects were evaluated. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed at one year postoperatively. Two-year postoperative outcomes included patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and rates of return-to-work and return-to-sport. RESULTS: Mean age of the 10 patients who completed the study was 39.7 years (range, 19-66 years), and five (50%) were female. Mean post-debridement defect size of the five femoral condyle and five trochlea defects was 2.4 cm2 (range, 0.7-5.0 cm2). One-year postoperative MRI analysis demonstrated that two chondral lesions were <50% filled, four sites were >50% filled, two sites were completely filled, and two sites had hypertrophied. Patients experienced improvements in three PROMs at six months, one year, and two years postoperatively (p < 0.01). Postoperative Marx Activity scores revealed no decrease in activity level compared to baseline preoperatively. Nine patients (90%) returned to their pre-injury level of work by one year postoperatively and remained at that level through two years postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that small, contained focal chondral injuries in the femoral condyle and trochlea treated with a marrow stimulation procedure augmented with BioCartilage and PRP are associated with significant improvements in patient-reported outcomes at two years postoperatively. Further studies are needed to evaluate the long-term durability and imaging characteristics of this intervention. Level of evidence Therapeutic Level IV.
