Modified osteochondral autograft implantation for full- thickness articular cartilage lesions

Full-thickness articular cartilage defects have been difficult to treat in patients with nonarthritic knees. A procedure is described to treat articular cartilage full-thickness lesions. Graft sites are chosen after appropriate treatment of the base of a grade IV lesion. Articular cartilage and bone are replaced into the graft site, promoting mesenchymal stem cell growth and cartilaginous coverage of the defect. Pathology, postoperative protocol, and some postoperative arthroscopic illustrations are included. This technique is simple and is associated with minimal donor-site morbidity.