Cartilage Surgery in the Adult

Chondral injuries are becoming an increasingly common problem facing orthopedists. When a patient presents with traumatic or atraumatic swelling in the knee, a chondral injury must be suspected. Advanced imaging is useful when diagnosing chondral injuries and can direct treatment. In patients who have failed nonoperative treatment, several surgical options, including microfracture, osteochondral allograft/autograft transfer, and autologous chondrocyte implantation exist. Although these procedures can provide excellent long-term outcomes, each procedure has its own unique set of complications that must be avoided with meticulous attention to detail and proper preoperative planning.