Restoring Cartilage: The Holy Grail of Orthopaedics (JBJS Case Connections)
Introduction
Theoretically, articular cartilage restoration should be a solvable biological/mechanical problem. But repairing, restoring, or replacing hyaline cartilage and the matrix that supports it presents formidable physiological and physical challenges. For decades, researchers have been investigating many different methods of cartilage repair, and no approach has yet risen to “gold standard” status.
As the “Current Concepts Review” in the February 19, 2014, edition of JBJS points out, the main strategy for cartilage “self-repair” is bone marrow stimulation, primarily via microfracture. Restorative/replacement approaches focus on cartilaginous constructs composed of allogenic, autogenic, or tissue-engineered materials.
This month’s “Case Connections” looks at four cases involving three different restorative/replacement approaches to cartilage defects. The variable outcomes emphasize the gaps between theoretical and clinical solutions to this common skeletal problem.
Is “Young” Allograft Better?
In the June 24, 2015, edition of JBJS Case Connector, Ramirez et al. report on a high-school quarterback ...
