Serial Changes of the Cartilage in Recipient Sites and Their Mirror Sites on Second-Look Imaging After Mosaicplasty

Abstract

Background:

It has been reported that the short-term results of mosaicplasty are good, but there have been no reports of the serial cartilage changes in the recipient sites and their mirror sites for mosaicplasty.

Purpose:

To examine the serial changes in cartilage in the recipient sites and their mirror sites using second-look imaging.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A total of 33 patients (37 knees, 40 sites) underwent mosaicplasty and second-look arthroscopy at a single institution over a 7-year period. There were 14 men and 19 women (12 right knees and 25 left knees). The recipient sites were the patella (n = 3), trochlea (n = 7), medial femoral condyle (n = 21), and lateral femoral condyle (n = 9). The mean patient age at surgery was 38.3 years; the mean period from mosaicplasty to second-look arthroscopy was 15.4 months; and the mean follow-up period was 34.9 months (range, 24-65 months). The results of second-look arthroscopy at the recipient site were categorized as cartilage with a smooth surface (group S) and fibrillation or an irregular surface (group I), and results of second-look arthroscopy at the mirror site were categorized as worse (group W), improved (group E), and unchanged (group U).

Results:

There were 30 sites in group S, 10 sites in group I, 3 sites in group W, 4 sites in group E, and 33 sites in group U. The age at operation was significantly greater in group S than in group I. There was a significant correlation between group S and groups E and U. The clinical outcome was significantly worse in group W when compared with groups E and U.

Conclusion:

If a smooth surface was seen in the recipient site during second-look arthroscopy, the cartilage degeneration in its mirror site did not become worse after mosaicplasty.