2024 AANA/ISAKOS Specialty Day All-Access Pass-Case Panel Discussion: Cartilage Restoration

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The panel discussion features leading experts in cartilage restoration addressing complex knee injuries in high-level athletes. A 24-year-old professional soccer player with persistent pain and bone edema after partial meniscectomy is the first case. The consensus favors intraosseous injections of PRP or bone marrow substitutes combined with physical rehabilitation to promote healing, delaying surgery initially. Subsequent arthroscopic evaluation revealed cartilage delamination treated with minced cartilage mixed with PRP implanted surgically, followed by restricted movement and non-weight bearing. Recovery and return to play took about 10 months. The second case involves a 38-year-old army officer with large trochlear cartilage defects; treatments ranged from arthroscopic cleanup and tibial tubercle osteotomy to biological scaffolds and osteochondral allografts. Panelists discussed challenges in matching graft shape and size for trochlear surfaces and emphasized individualized approaches. Overall, the experts highlight the importance of tailored biologic and surgical interventions balancing healing time, function restoration, and athletes' demands.

Asset Caption

Jason L. Dragoo, M.D., FAANA, Emmanouil Papakostas, M.D., Ramon Cugat, M.D., Ph.D., Elizaveta Kon, M.D., Austin Stone, M.D., Ph.D., Misty Suri, M.D., M.S., FAANA

Keywords

cartilage restoration

knee injuries

intraosseous PRP injections

arthroscopic cartilage repair

osteochondral allografts