Autologous chondrocyte repair of an articular defect in the humeral head.

Articular cartilage lesions remain a difficult problem for the patient and physician. A variety of procedures and treatments have been proposed to lessen symptoms and restore the articular surface. The knee joint has been the focus of the vast majority of these cartilage restoration procedures. Articular cartilage lesions of the humerus are significantly less common, and their management remains poorly defined. This paper presents a case report of a young athlete with a large full-thickness articular cartilage defect of the proximal humerus and subsequent treatment using autologous chondrocyte implantation.