Exec Summary Vol. Small grafts of normal cartilage removed from the patient s diseased joint are treated in a laboratory to obtain cartilage cells. These cells are cultured to expand the cell population and reimplanted a few weeks later into areas where cartilage is denuded by disease. The aim of this procedure is to restore normal cartilage to the ends of bones and thereby restore normal joint function. There are no reliable estimates of the prevalence of cartilage defects in the knee.
Lesions are most likely to arise in sportsmen and women as a result of injury.
To analyse the effectiveness of treatment and the resultant economic impact, a systematic review of the literature, involving a range of databases, was performed. In addition, contact was made with leading researchers and industry. Full details are described in the main report. Eight of the included reports were available as abstracts only. All included reports were case series with a variable length of follow-up.