Chondrocyte implantation vs. microfracture repair for osteoarthritis
One page on PainSci cites Kon 2009: Does Cartilage Regeneration Work?
PainSci notes on Kon 2009:
Cartilage is “plagued by inherent limited healing potential.” This was a small but worthwhile trial of a new surgical technique for osteoarthritis: implanting chondrocytes, the cells that “manage” cartilage. Researchers compared chondrocyte implantation to microfracture repair technique at the five-year mark in eighty patients. Both procedures were beneficial, but chondrocyte implantation was better. Although patients definitely felt better, they also were not “cured.” Later in 2009, Gobbi found very similar results.
original abstract †Abstracts here may not perfectly match originals, for a variety of technical and practical reasons. Some abstacts are truncated for my purposes here, if they are particularly long-winded and unhelpful. I occasionally add clarifying notes. And I make some minor corrections.
BACKGROUND: Various approaches have been proposed to treat articular cartilage lesions, which are plagued by inherent limited healing potential.
PURPOSE: To compare the clinical outcome of patients treated with second-generation autologous chondrocyte implantation implants with those treated with the microfracture repair technique at 5-year follow-up.
STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.
METHODS: Eighty active patients (mean age, 29.8 years) and grade III to IV cartilage lesions of the femoral condyles or trochlea were treated with arthroscopic second-generation autologous chondrocyte implantation Hyalograft C or microfracture (40 patients per group). Patients achieved a minimum 5-year follow-up and were prospectively evaluated.
RESULTS: Both groups showed statistically significant improvement of all clinical scores from preoperative interval to 5-year follow-up. There was a significant improvement for the International Knee Documentation Committee subjective score from pre-operative to 5-year follow-up (Wilcoxon test, P < .001). In the microfracture group, the International Knee Documentation Committee objective score increased from 2.5% normal and nearly normal knees before the operation to 75% normal and nearly normal knees at 5-year follow-up, and the subjective score increased from 41.1 +/- 12.3 preoperatively to 70.2 +/- 14.7 at 5-year follow-up. In the group treated with Hyalograft C, the International Knee Documentation Committee objective score increased from 15% normal and nearly normal knees before the operation to 90% normal and nearly normal knees at 5-year follow-up, and its subjective score increased from 40.5 +/- 15.2 preoperatively to 80.2 +/- 19.1 at 5-year follow-up (Wilcoxon test, P < .001). When comparing the groups, better improvement of the International Knee Documentation Committee objective (P < .001) and subjective (P = .003) scores was observed in the Hyalograft C group at 5-year follow-up. The return to sports at 2 years was similar in both groups and remained stable after 5 years in the Hyalograft C group; it worsened in the microfracture group.
CONCLUSION: Both methods have shown satisfactory clinical outcome at medium-term follow-up. Better clinical results and sport activity resumption were noted in the group treated with second-generation autologous chondrocyte transplantation.
This page is part of the PainScience BIBLIOGRAPHY, which contains plain language summaries of thousands of scientific papers & others sources. It’s like a highly specialized blog. A few highlights:
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