Osteochondral Grafting of Articular Cartilage Injuries eMedicine Orthopedics

Description: Partial- and full-thickness cartilage injuries, as well as osteochondral pathology in weightbearing joints, have produced deleterious effects in knees in both the short and long term. The decreased capacity of damaged articular cartilage to heal or regenerate has contributed measurably to these effects. Surgeons, therefore, are challenged to search for ways to overcome this inadequacy in order to reestablish normal joint function in the face of trauma or disease.
Synonyms and related keywords: osteochondral grafts, OATS, osteoarticular transfer surgery, osteochondral pathology, partial-thickness cartilage injuries, full-thickness cartilage injuries, knee injuries, degenerative arthrosis, knee joint arthrosis, articular disorders of the patellofemoral joint, trochlear replacement systems, articular cartilage lesions, osteochondral lesions, hyaline cartilage defects
Andrew Turtel, MD 2005