Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation in the Athletic Knee: A Review of Return-to-Play Outcomes and Their Durability
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22549301Keywords:
Autologous chondrocyte implantation, Articular cartilage repair, Return to sport, Knee, Microfracture, Osteochondral autograft transferAbstract
Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) and its matrix-assisted successors have accumulated over
three decades of published outcome data for full-thickness articular cartilage defects of the knee,
including outcome series specific to athletic populations. This review synthesises the published
return-to-sport and long-term durability literature for ACI in athletes, situates it against comparative
evidence for microfracture and osteochondral autograft transfer, and examines the patient and lesion
factors most consistently associated with a favourable outcome.
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