Chondroplasty with microfracture knee surgery is a common surgical procedure for patients with loss of cartilage in the knee joint. Chondroplasty involves smoothing of the roughened articulate cartilage with the intent of decreasing the friction inside the join. Microfracture involves making a grid like pattern of fractures in the cartilage and subchondral bone with the intent of stimulating the formation of new cartilage. The cartilage that is formed is fibrocartilage as opposed to the intrinsic cartilage which is hyaline. Fibrocartilage is not as good mechanically as the original hyaline cartilage; it is much denser and isn’t able to withstand the demands of everyday activities as well as hyaline cartilage and is therefore at higher risk of breaking down.
Chondroplasty with microfracture knee surgery exposes patients to the inherent risks associated with both surgery and anesthesia.
Chondroplasty with microfracture knee surgery is not the only option for those patients who have loss of knee cartilage. Regenexx procedures for knee pain offers patients the opportunity to use their own stem cells to generate cartilage in the knee joint. As opposed to Chondroplasty with microfracture knee surgery, Regenexx is a simple needle in needle out procedure and therefore the patient is not exposed to the inherent risks associated with surgery and anesthesia.
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