Subchondroplasty for treating bone marrow lesions in the knee - initial experience

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Radiology
• Biomaterials Science

Background:

• Bone marrow lesions (BMLs) are associated with knee pain and impaired function.
• Current treatment options for BMLs have limitations.
• Subchondroplasty offers a novel approach to address BMLs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of subchondroplasty in treating BMLs.
• To assess pain reduction and functional improvement after subchondroplasty.

Main Methods:

• A series of five patients (40-75 years) with symptomatic knee BMLs were included.
• Subchondroplasty involved filling BMLs with a calcium phosphate bone substitute.
• Patients were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain and Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) pre- and post-procedure.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in KOOS scores were observed at all follow-up points (1-24 weeks).
• VAS pain scores decreased substantially from 7.8 preoperatively to 0.6 at 24 weeks.
• All patients could ambulate independently post-procedure, with one experiencing transient graft dislocation.

Conclusions:

• Subchondroplasty demonstrated significant short-term improvements in pain and functional capacity for BMLs.
• The procedure appears safe and effective for managing knee bone marrow lesions.