A chondral defect is a defect in the articular(hyaline) cartilage at the end of the bones. The defect may be found on the femoral condyle, tibial plateau, patella, talus, humerus or on other articular surfaces. Depending on the specific pathology, if the defect is severe enough it may be treated with assorted resurfacing techniques to restore the bone back to a smooth articular surface.

Knee

Procedure

Microfracture surgery is an articular cartilage repair technique performed by creating small fractures in the underlying bone in order for new fibrocartilage to form. Arthrex provides products, including the PowerPick, allowing surgeons to effectively perform microfracture surgery safely and reproducibly.

Microfracture

The bioabsorbable PLLA Chondral Dart has a unique, double reversed barbed design to facilitate superior fixation and compression of osteochondral flap tears up to 2 cm in diameter. The 18 mm long, 1.3 mm diameter Chondral Dart provides secure fixation under the hyaline cartilage surface to eliminate contact with sensitive articulating surfaces. 
 
For larger lesions, the Bio-Compression Screw may be used to fixate OCD lesions securely while eliminating the challenges of metal screw removal, soft tissue impingement, and unwelcome image scatter. Produced from solid enhanced PLLA and designed for excellent thread-to-bone contact, the Bio-Compression Screw provides excellent strength during insertion and through healing.

OCD Fixation

The 2.7 mm Bio-Compression Screw eliminates the challenges of metal screw removal, soft tissue impingement, and unwelcome image scatter. For fracture and osteotomy fixation in periarticular applications, this screw offers interfragmentary compression and a headless profile to promote healing. Produced from solid enhanced PLLA and designed for excellent thread-to-bone contact, the Bio-Compression Screw provides excellent strength during insertion and through healing. Using a stepped thread pitch and a taper, this screw draws two fragments together without the need to overdrill/lag the proximal bone fragment. And since the Bio-Compression Screw is headless and absorbable, it offers zero prominence above the cortex and is not visible on x-ray. This is as close to a natural repair as possible. A simple, low cost instrumentation set ensures proper drill depth and tapping with no guesswork.

Bio-Compression Screws

Cartilage Repair

Human

Arthrex offers several different cartilage repair treatment options that treat a variety of cartilage indications. For indications that require a microfracturing type technique, traditional microfracture awls are available as well as newer options like the Arthrex PowerPick, which allows for microdrilling up to 4 mm deep into the subchondral bone. The PowerPick comes in 30 and 45 degree angles. 
 
The bioabsorbable PLLA Chondral Dart has a unique, double reversed barbed design to facilitate superior fixation and compression of osteochondral flap tears up to 2 cm in diameter. The 18 mm long, 1.3 mm diameter Chondral Dart provides secure fixation under the hyaline cartilage surface to eliminate contact with sensitive articulating surfaces. 
 
For larger lesions, the Bio-Compression Screw may be used to fixate OCD lesions securely while eliminating the challenges of metal screw removal, soft tissue impingement, and unwelcome image scatter. Produced from solid enhanced PLLA and designed for excellent thread-to-bone contact, the Bio-Compression Screw provides excellent strength during insertion and through healing.

Secondary (C)

The Allograft OATS instrument set facilitates harvesting of large-diameter osteochondral/hyaline cartilage cylinders from allograft bone. The core is made by placing the condyle into the workstation and harvesting with the donor harvester. A 0.5 mm-undersized recipient socket is created using the appropriately sized recipient harvester. The exact depth of the allograft to match the socket is obtained with the depth measurement guide and the allograft is trimmed to the same depth and obliquity. Dilation of the socket results in a line-to-line fit once the donor allograft is inserted into the recipient socket. Final seating of the allograft is achieved with an oversized tamp, resulting in a perfectly flush, press-fit graft that does not require fixation implants.

Allograft OATS® Set, Large

The disposable donor and recipient cutting tube sets of the Osteochondral Autograft Transfer System (OATS) facilitate harvesting of various diameter osteochondral/hyaline cartilage cylinders from a donor site superior and lateral to the notch or above the sulcus terminalis. A recipient socket, sized to the proper depth, is created in the chondral defect to accept the donor graft. The bone cylinder is inserted with a collared pin delivery system for press-fit fixation. Harvesting and insertion depth are controlled with 5 mm depth markings. Final seating of the harvested cylinder, flush with the surrounding articular cartilage, is achieved with a slightly larger diameter Sizer/Tamp.

Autograft OATS®

Cartilage Transplant

The Allograft OATS Instrumentation set facilitates harvesting of large diameter osteochondral/hyaline cartilage cylinders from an allograft bone. The core is made by placing the allograft into the workstation and harvesting the proper size core with the donor core harvester. A recipient socket is created that is 0.5 mm undersized with the appropriately sized recipient harvester. The exact depth of the allograft to match the socket is created with the depth measurement guide, trimming the allograft to the same depth and obliquity. Dilation of the socket results in a line-to-line fit once the donor allograft is inserted into the recipient socket. Final seating of the allograft is achieved with an oversized tamp using gentle taps, resulting in a perfectly flush graft to the surrounding articular surface.

Chondral Defect

Cartilage Repair

Cartilage Transplant