Abstract
Microfracture of subchondral bone to enhance cartilage repair is a popular surgical
technique used in human and animal patients. Clinical results with resolution or improvement
in pain are promising and last on average for 2 to 3 years. Animal studies aimed at
understanding microfracture indicate that the repair tissue continues to remodel toward
chondrogenesis for at least a year, but longer term results are not available to gain
insight into the mechanism of microfracture function or failure over time. Subchondral
bone sclerosis and central lesional osteophyte formation following subchondral bone
microfracture have been observed in animal models of microfracture, but studies do
not provide any insight into the etiology of these pathologies. The continued maturation
of microfracture repair tissue over time supports further investigation of microfracture
or microfracture-augmented cartilage repair procedures with caution for the investigator
and clinician to be observant for conditions that lead to subchondral bone sclerosis
or central osteophyte formation, and what affect these boney reactions have on clinical
outcome.
Keywords
microfracture - microdrilling - central osteophyte - micropic
