Clinical Outcomes of Hyaluronic Acid–Based Scaffold Augmentation in Microfracture Treatment for Focal Osteochondral Defects in The Knee: A Retrospective Comparative Study

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 7 Sayı: 3, 628 - 32, 09.09.2025

Mücahid Osman Yücel , Raşit Emin Dalaslan , Sönmez Sağlam , Zekeriya Okan Karaduman , Mehmet Arıcan

Öz

Aim: Microfracture is a common, cost-effective treatment for focal osteochondral defects (FCDs) of the knee. However, it often results in fibrocartilage with poor biomechanical properties. Hyaluronic acid–based biodegradable scaffolds like Hyalofast® have been developed to enhance cartilage regeneration and improve outcomes.
Material and Method: This retrospective study included patients with knee FCDs smaller than 3 cm², treated between 2015 and 2018. Two treatment groups were compared: microfracture alone versus microfracture combined with a hyaluronic acid–based scaffold. Clinical outcomes were assessed using Visual Analog Scale (VAS), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome (KOOS) scores preoperatively and at 6 months postoperatively.
Results: Both groups showed statistically significant improvements in all clinical scores after treatment (p<0.001). Although postoperative VAS and KOOS scores did not differ significantly between groups, the scaffold-augmented group achieved significantly higher IKDC scores compared to the microfracture-only group (66.35±6.00 vs. 62.08±8.51, p=0.04).
Conclusion: These findings suggest that while microfracture remains a valuable primary treatment for focal cartilage defects, scaffold augmentation may confer an additional functional benefit. Further prospective studies with long-term follow-up are warranted to confirm the clinical durability of scaffold-assisted cartilage repair strategies.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Cartilage , knee joint , osteochondral allograft transplantation , hyaluronic acid , tissue scaffolds

Etik Beyan

This study was approved by Düzce University Clinical Research Ethics Committee (Approval No: 2025/145, Date: 26.05.2025), and was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. As this was a retrospective study, the requirement for informed consent was waived by the ethics committee.

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