title: [Autologous chondrocyte implantation for focal cartilage lesions: state of the art in 2007].
abstract: Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is a frequently used procedure for full-thickness cartilage lesions in the knee joint. However, to date, there are just a few prospective, randomized clinical studies and most publications are case series on small and heterogenic cohorts with short-term follow-up. To date, ACI is a surgical treatment option for single traumatic lesions on the distal femur in young active subjects with a recent lesion. Lesion size should be between 3 and 8 cm2, < 6 mm in depth, tidemark preserved without penetration of the subchondral bone. Absolute contraindications for ACI include osteoarthrosis, kissing lesions, lesions size greater than 10 cm2 or deeper than 8 mm, ligament instability, partial or total meniscectomy, axis malalignment > 5. Further studies are mandatory to determine the precise indications to the technique and to show its superiority on the established treatment of chondral lesions.
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie orthopédique et traumatologie de I'appareil moteur HUG, 1211 Genève 14.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garavaglia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lubowicki
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fritschy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Menetrey
mesh_terms: D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D017690:Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D018579:Patient Selection; D012106:Research / Q000639:trends; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous