[Update on the treatment of articular cartilage lesions in the knee]

Despite articular cartilage lesions being common, there is no evidence-based treatment protocol for them. The preoperative assessment must diagnose all of the concurrent pathologies that need to be treated at the same time. Several types of treatments exist, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. First-line therapy consists of well-conducted conservative treatment. Surgical treatment is the second choice. It is chosen according to the size of the lesion, its depth, damage to the subchondral bone, and the condition of the neighboring cartilage. The few studies that have compared the different methods used to treat these lesions have reported contradictory results.