title: Arthroscopic-assisted focal resurfacing of the knee: surgical technique and preliminary results of 13 patients at 2 years follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to describe an arthroscopic-assisted surgical technique for focal resurfacing of medial tibio-femoral compartment and to present the preliminary clinical and radiographic results in a case series of 13 consecutive patients at a mean follow-up of 29 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients were treated with the presented procedure for Ahlback grade 3 medial compartment osteoarthritis. Subjective evaluation was based on a visual analog scale for pain self-assessment. Objective clinical evaluation was based on Hospital for Special Surgery score. Range of motion was evaluated with a manual goniometer. Radiographic evaluation compared hip-knee-ankle angle pre- and post-operatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Clinical and functional results were satisfactory. Hospital for Special Surgery score and visual analog scale for pain self-assessment showed significant improvements (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0002, respectively). ROM and axial alignment were not significantly different respect to pre-operative values.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the small sample size and short follow-up, this study has shown that an arthroscopic-assisted focal resurfacing of the knee in selected cases can be a viable option for early onset degenerative joint disease, providing satisfactory pain relief and good functional results at 2 years follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case series, Level IV.
authors.affiliation: 3rd Orthopaedics and Traumatologic Clinic, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Via Pupilli 1, 40136, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurilio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marcacci
authors.forename: Danilo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bruni
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zaffagnini
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Iacono
authors.forename: Mirco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lo Presti
authors.forename: Maria Pia
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: Raspugli
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giovanni
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome