title: Second-look arthroscopic observations after radiofrequency treatment of partial thickness articular cartilage defects in human knees: report of four cases.
abstract: Partial thickness articular cartilage defects in the knee are commonly encountered clinical problems. Recently, use of radiofrequency-based devices for performing arthroscopic chondroplasty has gained popularity. However, published experimental studies using different methods for evaluating the histologic effects of radiofrequency-chondroplasty on surrounding cartilage offer contradictory results. To date, few clinical findings after radiofrequency-based chondroplasty have been reported. We present four patients where follow-up arthroscopy documented partial thickness articular defects treated previously with radiofrequency-based chondroplasty to be completely filled with stable repair tissue. No attempt was made to stimulate cartilage regeneration (ie, abrasion or microfracture) in any of these cases.
authors.affiliation: Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA 02118, USA
authors.forename: Ilya
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Voloshin
authors.forename: Kenneth E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: DeHaven
authors.forename: J Richard
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Steadman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D024162:Second-Look Surgery