Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes After Fixation of Chondral Fragments of the Knee in 6 Adolescents Using Autologous Bone Pegs

BACKGROUND: Little is known regarding the optimal treatment for displaced, purely chondral fragments in the knee. PURPOSE: To report the clinical and radiographic outcomes of chondral fragment fixation in adolescents through use of autologous bone pegs. STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: This retrospective, single-center study evaluated 6 patients (mean age, 12.9 years) who underwent fixation of chondral fragments (no visualized bone attached) using autologous bone pegs (mean postoperative follow-up, 5.2 years; range, 1.4-10.9 years). The causes were trauma (n = 5) and osteochondritis dissecans (n = 1). Lesions were located in the trochlear groove (lateral, n = 3; medial, n = 2) or posterior part of the lateral femoral condyle (n = 1). The mean lesion size was 3.8 cm(2) (range, 0.8-9.0 cm(2)). Patients were evaluated via physical examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue scores. RESULTS: In total, 5 patients successfully returned to sports without restrictions at a mean of 7 months (range, 6-8 months) postoperatively. At the latest follow-up, these 5 patients had full range of motion and no joint effusion. The mean magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue score was 85 (range, 70-95) at a mean duration of 3 years (range, 1-5 years). One patient experienced failure at 1.3 years postoperatively after a traumatic injury and subsequently underwent removal of the fixed fragment and a drilling procedure. CONCLUSION: In most adolescents, fixation of chondral fragments with no visualized bony portion using autologous bone pegs provided a satisfactory success rate and good healing of cartilage tissue confirmed on MRI scans.