Microfracture / Cartilage Procedures
Precisely controlled perforations in the bone beneath a cartilage defect trigger the body's natural healing response to grow new cartilage — reducing pain and protecting the joint surface from further progressive damage.
What is Microfracture / Cartilage Procedures?
Microfracture is an arthroscopic technique for focal full-thickness cartilage defects where the underlying bone is perforated with a specialised awl to stimulate marrow element egress into the defect. Blood and mesenchymal stem cells from the bone marrow fill the void and differentiate into fibrocartilage — a tissue that partially replicates native hyaline cartilage's role in absorbing and distributing load. The technique is most effective for small contained defects in younger patients with appropriate bone quality and alignment. For larger defects, advanced techniques including OATS (osteochondral autograft transfer) provide hyaline cartilage plugs. Dr. Sai Kishan performs cartilage procedures at Lux Hospitals.
How the Procedure Works
Anaesthesia & Diagnostic Arthroscopy
Spinal or general anaesthesia; arthroscopy characterises the cartilage defect — its size, depth, borders, and surrounding cartilage quality — before proceeding.
Defect Margin Preparation
A curette and motorised shaver create stable, vertical cartilage walls around the defect margins, providing a contained environment for the marrow clot.
Calcified Cartilage Removal
The calcified cartilage layer at the base of the defect is carefully removed — essential to expose vascular bone and allow marrow elements to enter the defect.
Microfracture Hole Creation
A curved awl creates multiple uniform perforations 3–4 mm apart across the defect floor — blood and marrow elements immediately begin to fill the void.
Closure & Protected Recovery Protocol
Portals are closed; a structured non-weight-bearing and continuous passive motion protocol is prescribed to optimise the biological environment for repair tissue formation.
Outcomes
Who Needs This Treatment?
- →Stimulates biological cartilage repair using the body's own marrow stem cells
- →Arthroscopic technique — day-case keyhole procedure with small incisions
- →Reduces the joint pain caused by focal cartilage loss and subchondral bone exposure
- →Delays arthritic progression in younger patients with contained focal defects
- →Can be performed concurrently with meniscal or ligament procedures when required
- →A cost-effective and minimally invasive first-line cartilage treatment option
Cartilage regeneration is one of the most exciting frontiers in joint preservation — the prospect of giving a young patient new cartilage and extending the life of their knee before replacement becomes necessary is genuinely compelling.
— — Dr. Sai Kishan Sirasala, Knee and Hip Joint Replacement & Robotic Surgery
Common Questions
Frequently Asked
Not sure which treatment is right for you?
Book a consultation with Dr. Sai Kishan and get a personalised treatment plan.