Clinical Outcomes of Cartilage Procedures Performed in Conjunction With Primary Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review.

Background: Cartilage lesions are frequently encountered during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and may influence long-term outcomes. Surgical options include debridement, microfracture, osteochondral autograft transfer (OAT), osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA), and autol...

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Publicado en:Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine Vol. 14; no. 4; pp. 1 - 17
Autores principales: Thamrongskulsiri, Napatpong, Moews, Logan D., Morgan, Jacob T., Casanova, Felipe, Vega, Tomas F., Pérez Lloveras, Gabriel Octavio, Yanke, Adam B., Cole, Brian J., Chahla, Jorge
Formato: research systematic review tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Sage Publications Inc. Apr2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: Apr2026
      vid: 14
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      pub: Sage Publications Inc.
      place: Thousand Oaks, California
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        atl: Clinical Outcomes of Cartilage Procedures Performed in Conjunction With Primary Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review.
      aug:
        au:
          Thamrongskulsiri, Napatpong
          Moews, Logan D.
          Morgan, Jacob T.
          Casanova, Felipe
          Vega, Tomas F.
          Pérez Lloveras, Gabriel Octavio
          Yanke, Adam B.
          Cole, Brian J.
          Chahla, Jorge
        affil: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA
      sug:
        subj:
          Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Adverse Effects
          Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries Surgery
          Cartilage, Articular Surgery
          Orthopedic Surgery
          Patient-Reported Outcomes
          Human
          Male
          Female
          Adult
          Systematic Review
          PubMed
          Medline
          Checklists
          Debridement Methods
          Fractures, Stress
          Autografts
          Allografts
          Chondrocytes
          Postoperative Care
          Sports Re-Entry
          Osteoarthritis Prevention and Control
          Medical Practice, Evidence-Based
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Background: Cartilage lesions are frequently encountered during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and may influence long-term outcomes. Surgical options include debridement, microfracture, osteochondral autograft transfer (OAT), osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA), and autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), yet the optimal approach remains controversial. Purpose: To systematically review clinical outcomes of cartilage procedures performed during ACLR and compare them with cases where cartilage lesions were left untreated. Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Scopus were searched through July 15, 2025. Inclusion criteria comprised studies reporting outcomes of primary ACLR with concomitant cartilage lesions treated with debridement, microfracture, OAT, OCA, ACI, or no treatment. Outcomes assessed included patient-reported outcome measures, return to sport, osteoarthritis (OA) progression, and reoperation rates. Methodological quality was evaluated using the Modified Coleman Methodology Score, and the certainty of evidence for each outcome was further assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework. Results: A total of 14 studies (1003 patients; mean age range, 28-39 years; mean follow-up range, 2.1-95 months) met the inclusion criteria. Microfracture and debridement resulted in significant postoperative improvement but did not consistently outperform no treatment, with some studies reporting worse Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) Sport and Recreation and Quality of Life subscale scores after microfracture. OAT, OCA, and ACI produced greater improvements in patient-reported outcomes, with OAT showing higher return-to-sport rates (63.6% vs 38.5% for microfracture) and ACI demonstrating substantial pain reduction and functional gains. OA progression was highest after microfracture (up to 48%) and lowest with OAT and ACI. OCA improved KOOS domains but had the highest reoperation rate (32%). The overall certainty of evidence was very low due to heterogeneity, small sample sizes, and methodological limitations. Conclusion: Microfracture and debridement performed during primary ACLR did not consistently improve outcomes compared with no treatment. In contrast, OAT, OCA, and ACI demonstrated greater functional improvements. Limited evidence from a single study suggested a higher return-to-sport rate with OAT than with microfracture, though further research is required to confirm this finding. OA progression appeared more frequent after microfracture, whereas ACI and OAT were associated with lower rates of progression and reoperation. Substantial limitations in available data and study design prevent definitive conclusions related to the effect of articular cartilage treatment at the time of primary ACLR. Registration: CRD420251137854 (PROSPERO identifier).
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        systematic review
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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