title: Intraoperative application Platelet rich fibrin, postoperative injections OF PRP or microfracture only for osteochondral lesions of the knee: a five-year retrospective evaluation.
abstract: Cartilage lesions are the most common cause of chronic knee pain. Micro-fracturing is reliable, effective, easy to perform and inexpensive. We propose a novel approach to cartilage lesions where microfractures are performed contextually to intra-operative or post-operative administration of platelet concentrates. We retrospectively evaluate 48 patients divided in 3 groups. Group 1: 15 patients underwent microfractures and intraoperative administration of PRF (PRF group); group 2: 16 microfractures and postoperative injections of PRP (PRP group); group 3: 17 patients with isolated microfractures (Microfractures group). Clinical scores (IKDC, VAS pain) were administered at 2 and 5 years postoperative and MRI was performed to evaluate the lesions of patients according to the MOCART criteria (2006). Patients treated with platelet concentrates achieved better clinical results compared to patients treated with microfracture only. The PRF group showed better results than the PRP group at 2 years, with loss of significance at 5 years. At MOCART score, PRF group obtained better results earlier than the other two groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Papalia
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diaz Balzani
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Torre
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Stem Cell Transplantation, Transfusion Medicine and Cellular Therapy, Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Tirindelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Stem Cell Transplantation, Transfusion Medicine and Cellular Therapy, Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nobile
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Mile End Hospital, London, England.|Department of Musculoskeletal Disorders, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Salerno, Italy
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maffulli
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Denaro
mesh_terms: D015775:Fractures, Stress / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology*; D000073183:Platelet-Rich Fibrin / Q000378:metabolism*; D053657:Platelet-Rich Plasma / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome