Summary

The LIPO-AMIC technique is feasible for the treatment of knee focal cartilage defects and resulted in statistically significant progressive clinical, functional and pain improvement in all treated patients better than what reported for the AMIC standard technique, starting very early from the six months follow-up and maintaining good clinical results more durably also at mid-term follow-ups.

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate medium term outcomes of LIPO-AMIC technique for the treatment of knee full thickness cartilage defects.

Methods

Eighteen patients have been prospectively evaluated during two and five years both clinically and by MRI evaluation.

Results

Patients showed progressive significant clinical improvement of all the scores (IKDC, Lysholm, KOOS and VAS) as early as the initial 6 months follow-up and further increased values were noted till the last follow-up at 60 months.
Pre-operative subjective IKDC score equal to 36,1 became 86,4 at 24 months and 87,2 at 60 months.
Pre-operative Lysolm Knee Score of 44,4 reached 93,5 at 2 years and 93,6 at 5 years.
Quality of life KOOS Score equal to 38,7 points improved markedly to reach 82,4 points at 24 months and 83,7 at 5 years.
The VAS score for pain assessment went from a pre-operative value of 6.5 (range 0-3) to 0,7 at two and to 0.8 at five years.
MRI examination showed early subchondral lamina regrowth and progressive maturation of the repair tissue and moderate to complete filling of the defects.

Conclusions

the LIPO-AMIC technique is feasible for the treatment of knee focal cartilage defects and resulted in a statistically significant progressive clinical, functional and pain improvement in all treated patients better than what reported for the AMIC standard technique, starting very early from the six months follow-up and maintaining the good clinical results more durably with stable results at mid-term follow-up.