Trifon Totlis1, Theodorakys Marín Fermín2, Giorgos Kalifis3, Ioannis Terzidis4, Nicola Maffulli5, Emmanouil Papakostas6. 1. Thessaloniki Minimally Invasive Surgery (TheMIS) Orthopaedic Center, St. Luke's Hospital, 55236, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: totlis@auth.gr. 2. Thessaloniki Minimally Invasive Surgery (TheMIS) Orthopaedic Center, St. Luke's Hospital, 55236, Thessaloniki, Greece; Department of Traumatology, Hospital Periférico de Coche, Intercomunal avenue at Zea street, 1090, Coche, Caracas, Venezuela. Electronic address: theodorakysmarin@yahoo.com. 3. Thessaloniki Minimally Invasive Surgery (TheMIS) Orthopaedic Center, St. Luke's Hospital, 55236, Thessaloniki, Greece; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Musculoskeletal Trauma, General University Hospital of Larissa, Mezourlo, 41110, Larissa, Greece. Electronic address: giorgiokal@hotmail.com. 4. Thessaloniki Minimally Invasive Surgery (TheMIS) Orthopaedic Center, St. Luke's Hospital, 55236, Thessaloniki, Greece. Electronic address: jonterz@otenet.gr. 5. Department of Musculoskeletal Disorders, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Salerno, Via Salvator Allende, 84081, Salerno, Italy; Queen Mary University of London, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Mile End Hospital, 275 Bancroft Road, London, E1 4DG, England, UK; Institute of Science and Technology in Medicine, Keele University School of Medicine, Thornburrow Drive, Stoke on Trent, England, UK. Electronic address: n.maffulli@qmul.ac.uk. 6. Aspetar Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Sports City Street, 29222, Doha, Qatar. Electronic address: epapacostas@gmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Arthroscopic debridement, the most commonly applied surgical technique for focal cartilage lesions in the knee, is not included in most treatment algorithms because of discouraging results in the management of osteoarthritis of the knee. The present systematic review evaluates the outcome of arthroscopic cartilage debridement as the primary treatment of focal knee chondral lesions in adults, and defines its indications and role as the primary treatment of focal knee chondral lesions. METHODS: Two independent investigators searched PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Virtual Health Library databases using the terms "knee", "cartilage", "chondral", "lesions", "injury", "damage", "debridement", "chondroplasty", "chondrectomy", alone and in combination. Clinical studies evaluating the effect of mechanical cartilage debridement in adults with symptomatic focal cartilage lesions in the knee joint regardless of the defect size and depth were included. We excluded studies if patients had a concomitant ligament or meniscus injury, and/or had additional debridement with monopolar radiofrequency energy. MAIN FINDINGS: Available studies suggest good to excellent short and medium-term functional outcomes (KOOS, LKSS, Tegner scale) for focal cartilage lesions treated with debridement regardless of the defect size and depth. Data are lacking comparing cartilage debridement versus other cartilage repair techniques. CONCLUSIONS: Arthroscopic debridement of focal articular cartilage lesions of the knee is associated with good to excellent short and medium-term postoperative outcomes, especially in terms of functional improvement. Arthroscopic debridement may be considered in the primary treatment of focal cartilage injuries regardless of the defect size and depth. However, available studies are limited and the level of evidence is low.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Arthroscopic debridement, the most commonly applied surgical technique for focal cartilage lesions in the knee, is not included in most treatment algorithms because of discouraging results in the management of osteoarthritis of the knee. The present systematic review evaluates the outcome of arthroscopic cartilage debridement as the primary treatment of focal knee chondral lesions in adults, and defines its indications and role as the primary treatment of focal knee chondral lesions. METHODS: Two independent investigators searched PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Virtual Health Library databases using the terms "knee", "cartilage", "chondral", "lesions", "injury", "damage", "debridement", "chondroplasty", "chondrectomy", alone and in combination. Clinical studies evaluating the effect of mechanical cartilage debridement in adults with symptomatic focal cartilage lesions in the knee joint regardless of the defect size and depth were included. We excluded studies if patients had a concomitant ligament or meniscus injury, and/or had additional debridement with monopolar radiofrequency energy. MAIN FINDINGS: Available studies suggest good to excellent short and medium-term functional outcomes (KOOS, LKSS, Tegner scale) for focal cartilage lesions treated with debridement regardless of the defect size and depth. Data are lacking comparing cartilage debridement versus other cartilage repair techniques. CONCLUSIONS: Arthroscopic debridement of focal articular cartilage lesions of the knee is associated with good to excellent short and medium-term postoperative outcomes, especially in terms of functional improvement. Arthroscopic debridement may be considered in the primary treatment of focal cartilage injuries regardless of the defect size and depth. However, available studies are limited and the level of evidence is low.
Authors: F Libonati; S Lopa; Alessandra Colombini; G M Peretti; M Moretti; L de Girolamo Journal: Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc Date: 2022-06-18 Impact factor: 4.342
Authors: Fernando Martins Rosa; Julio Cesar Fernandes; Josée Delisle; Pierre Ranger; Mauro Batista Albano; Edmar Stieven Filho Journal: J Orthop Surg Res Date: 2022-02-20 Impact factor: 2.359