Patellar articular cartilage defect treated by minced cartilage graft and fibrin glue technology: A case report

Abstract

Introduction: Patellar cartilage defects are difficult entities to deal with due to the complexity of patellofemoral joints. First-line treatment of patellar chondral defects often fails despite the technical aspect of surgical procedure and there are no relevant literature recommendations for failed treatment as a second line therapy. Case report: A 38-year-old female presented with anterior knee pain for four years. She had a history of a fall which was treated conservatively by knee brace for four weeks followed by rehabilitation. She was not relieved by her pain and complained of persistent pain for four years. The patient was treated by minced cartilage grafting of the defect and fibrin glue technology. Articular cartilage from non-articular surface of the femur was taken by GraftnetArthrex device. Post-surgical follow-up at six months with magnetic resonance imaging revealed complete defect filling following the procedure. Conclusion: This procedure is a safe and viable treatment option for a full-thickness chondral lesion of the patella in cases where microfracture treatment has failed before.

Keywords

• Patella
• Minced cartilage graft
• Platelet rich plasma
• Fibrin glue
• Graftnet Arthrex device