Surgical implants and technologies for cartilage repair and preservation of the knee

Abstract

Focal lesions of the articular cartilage of the knee can be managed with a variety of products and technologies in an attempt to restore function to the afflicted joint and forestall the need for possible total knee arthroplasty. Among these approaches are non-implant-based procedures (arthroscopic chondroplasty and microfracture), grafting procedures (autografts/mosaicplasty and allografts), cell-based procedures (autologous chondrocyte implantation) and nonbiologic implants (metallic plugs and cell-free polymers). For each clinically established procedure there are also a number of investigational variations that aim to improve the in vivo quality of the regenerated/restored cartilage surface. This article analyzes existing and developing non-implant- and graft-based technologies for the repair or restoration of the articular cartilage of the knee based on a review of the published literature.

Keywords::

• allograft
• autologous chondrocyte implantation
• cartilage
• chondroplasty
• knee
• mosaicplasty

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Michael A Mont is a principal investigator in a randomized comparison of BioCart™ II with microfracture for cartilage defects. No benefits or funds were received in support of this study. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.