The Histological Effect of Various Microfracture Techniques on Human Chondral & Sub-chondral Tissue - an Ex-Vivo Study

The subchondral bone, formed by the subchondral bone plate and the subarticular spongiosa, plays a key role in supporting the articular cartilage. Marrow stimulation techniques such as subchondral drilling are clinically important treatment options for symptomatic small cartilage defects. However, The heat generated from the metal-bone interface during drilling due to the friction can cause thermal osteonecrosis. , recent clinical evidence suggests that they may induce alterations in the subchondral bone plate such as intralesional osteophytes, which persist and may play a role in the degeneration of the repair tissue. Little is known about whether they induce deleterious changes in the Human Chondral \& Subchondral bone. The aim of this study was to compare the condral \& Sub-chondral Histoligical damage induced by different drilling techniques. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time to inspect it, In- Situ, on Human tissue.