Outcomes of microfracture for traumatic chondral defects of the knee: average 11-year follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, we measured functional outcomes of patients treated arthroscopically with microfracture for full-thickness traumatic defects of the knee.


METHODS
A case series of patients with 7 to 17 years' follow-up.


METHODS
Between 1981 and 1991, a total of 72 patients (75 knees) met the following inclusion criteria: (1) traumatic full-thickness chondral defect, (2) no meniscus or ligament injury, and (3) age 45 years and younger (range, 13 to 45 years). Seventy-one knees (95%) were available for final follow-up (range, 7 to 17 years). All patients completed self-administered questionnaires preoperatively and postoperatively.


RESULTS
The following results were significant at the P <.05 level. Significant improvement was recorded for both Lysholm (scale 1 to 100; preoperative, 59; final follow-up, 89) and Tegner (1 to 10; preoperative, 3; final follow-up, 6) scores. At final follow-up, the SF-36 and WOMAC scores showed good to excellent results. At 7 years after surgery, 80% of the patients rated themselves as "improved." Multivariate analysis revealed that age was a predictor of functional improvement.


CONCLUSIONS
Over the 7- to 17-year follow-up period (average, 11.3 years), patients 45 years and younger who underwent the microfracture procedure for full-thickness chondral defects, without associated meniscus or ligament pathology, showed statistically significant improvement in function and indicated that they had less pain.
Steadman Hawkins Sports Medicine Foundation, Vail, Colorado 81657, USA.
J Richard
JR
Steadman
Karen K
KK
Briggs
Juan J
JJ
Rodrigo
Mininder S
MS
Kocher
Thomas J
TJ
Gill
William G
WG
Rodkey
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003646:Debridement; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015915:Motion Therapy, Continuous Passive; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome