One-Stage Cartilage Repair: HA-BMAC vs Microfracture (5-Year)

Objective

Compare long-term clinical outcomes between a hyaluronic-acid (HA) scaffold with bone marrow–derived cells (BMAC) and microfracture for knee cartilage repair.

Methods

Patients with symptomatic knee cartilage lesions underwent either HA-BMAC one-stage procedure or microfracture. Outcomes included IKDC, KOOS and activity scores up to 5 years.

Key Results

• HA-BMAC group demonstrated more durable improvements in knee function scores at 5 years vs microfracture.
• Differences were notable for larger lesions where microfracture durability can be limited.

Conclusion

In this cohort, HA-BMAC showed superior long-term clinical durability compared with microfracture for select cartilage lesions.