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
J Richard
JR
Steadman Hawkins Sports Medicine Foundation, Vail, Colorado 81657, USA.
Briggs
Karen K
KK
Rodrigo
Juan J
JJ
Kocher
Mininder S
MS
Gill
Thomas J
TJ
Rodkey
William G
WG
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