Technique Corner: Marrow Stimulation and Augmentation

Focal articular cartilage defects are a significant source of pain and dysfunction in the knee, affecting upwards of one million people and resulting in an increased incidence of cartilage surgeries performed each year. To address these defects, several operative techniques are commonly utilized depending on defect site and location. While specific treatment choice and technique are individualized, cartilage procedures can broadly be classified as palliative measures such as chondroplasty, repair procedures such as microfracture, and restorative procedures including autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), osteochondral autograft transplantation (OATS), and osteochondral allograft transplantation.