title: Arthroscopic treatment of hip chondral defects: autologous chondrocyte transplantation versus simple debridement--a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness of simple arthroscopic debridement versus arthroscopic autologous chondrocyte transplantation (ACT) for the treatment of hip chondral lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a controlled retrospective study of 30 patients affected by a post-traumatic hip chondropathy of the third or fourth degree, according to the Outerbridge classification, measuring 2 cm² in area or more. Of these patients, 15 underwent arthroscopic ACT, whereas the other 15 underwent arthroscopic debridement. The 2 groups were similar in age, sex, degree, and location of the pathology. All the patients were assessed before and after the procedure with the Harris Hip Score (HHS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both groups the mean follow-up was approximately 74 months (range, 72 to 76 months). The mean size of the defect was 2.6 cm². The patients who underwent ACT (group A) improved after the procedure compared with the group that underwent debridement alone (group B). The mean HHS preoperatively was 48.3 (95% confidence interval [CI], 45.4 to 51.2) in group A and 46 (95% CI, 42.7 to 49.3) in group B (P = .428 [no significant difference]). The final HHS was 87.4 (95% CI, 84.3 to 90.5) in group A and 56.3 (95% CI, 54.4 to 58.7) in group B (P < .001 [significant difference]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates that an ACT procedure can be used in the hip for acetabular chondral defects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level III, retrospective comparative study.
authors.affiliation: Hip and Knee Unit, Clinica Capitanio, Milan, Italy; Biotechnologies Department, Clinica Capitanio, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bistolfi
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crova
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rosso
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Massazza
mesh_terms: D000077:Acetabulum; D000328:Adult; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D019902:Chondrocytes / Q000637:transplantation*; D003646:Debridement / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D025981:Hip Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome