Description
In this presentation, Dr. Adam Money expresses gratitude to the Edinburgh Orthopedic Association, complimenting the beauty of the city and its weather before diving into his treatment algorithm for cartilage injuries. He discusses the significance of fixing acute cartilage injuries, particularly emphasizing the importance of whether a lesion has a bony backing. Dr. Money shares a case example of a large cartilage piece repair using biocomposite screws, highlighting the need for various fixation techniques based on the injury's specifics.
He outlines treatment options for non-fixable fragments, covering techniques such as debridement, marrow stimulation, microfracture, and osteochondral allograft transplantation. Dr. Money categorizes procedures based on lesion size and discusses their outcomes, indicating that while debridement can be cost-effective and viable, procedures like ACI/MACI are beneficial for patellofemoral injuries but are more expensive and complex. He emphasizes the importance of patient selection for each procedure, especially in terms of lesion size and type.
In his closing remarks, he summarizes the comparative effectiveness of various techniques over time, stating that while microfracture may yield satisfactory results for smaller lesions, larger defects often benefit more from osteochondral allograft transplantation. His conclusion underscores the importance of advancing techniques that restore durable, viable tissue in the knee, ultimately ensuring patients can return to their pre-injury activity levels.