Arthroscopic autologous osteochondral grafting for cartilage defects of the knee: Prospective study results at a minimum 7-year follow-up

BACKGROUND: Articular cartilage lesions, with their inherent limited healing potential, remain a challenging problem for orthopaedic surgeons. Various approaches have been proposed to treat these lesions; nevertheless, opinions on indications and clinical efficacy of these techniques are still controversial. PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcome of osteochondral autografts for treatment of femoral condyle cartilage lesions at a medium-to long-term follow-up. STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 30 patients (mean age, 29.3 years) with full-thickness knee chondral lesions (