Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39369430›Full record

ArticleKnee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA2025

The collagen-augmented chondrogenesis technique demonstrates superior cartilage repair compared to microfracture for cartilage defects of the knee joint, regardless of age.

Man Soo Kim, Keun Young Choi, Ryu Kyoung Cho, Hyuk Jin Jang, Dong Ho Kwak, Sung Cheol Yang, Seung Taek Oh, Yong In

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Outcomes of surgical fixation of osteochondral fracture: a systematic review.Journal of orthopaedics and traumatology : official journal of the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Man Soo KimDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1374-9964
Keun Young ChoiDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Ryu Kyoung ChoDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Hyuk Jin JangDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Dong Ho KwakDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Sung Cheol YangDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Seung Taek OhDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Yong InDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5932-3934

Funding

None
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis study investigated whether age affects clinical outcomes and cartilage repair quality in patients who underwent collagen-augmented chondrogenesis.

methodsThe study included patients who underwent either the collagen-augmented chondrogenesis technique or microfracture for cartilage defects of the knee joint of International Cartilage Repair Society grade 3 or 4. Patients were categorised according to an age threshold of 50 years and the treatment method, whether collagen-augmented chondrogenesis technique or microfracture. Group 1 comprised 31 patients aged 50 years or older who received the collagen-augmented chondrogenesis technique, Group 2 consisted of 32 patients under the age of 50 years who received the collagen-augmented chondrogenesis technique and Group 3 included 243 patients aged 50 years or older who received microfracture. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the walking visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain and the Western Ontario McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index scale score (WOMAC) two years after surgery. For patients with magnetic resonance imaging results 1 year postoperatively (Group 1: 30 patients; Group 2: 31 patients; and Group 3: 31 patients), Magnetic Resonance Observation of Cartilage Repair Tissue (MOCART) assessment was used to evaluate repaired cartilage lesions.

resultsThere were no significant differences in the VAS and WOMAC scores between the three groups 2 years after surgery (all n.s.). The MOCART score in patients who underwent MRI at 1 year postoperatively showed significant differences in the degree of defect repair, integration with the border zone, surface of the repaired tissue, adhesion and total score among the three groups (all p < 0.05). Post hoc analysis revealed no difference in the total MOCART scores between Groups 1 and 2. However, Groups 1 and 2 had significantly higher MOCART scores than Group 3 1 year after surgery (all p < 0.05).

conclusionThe collagen-augmented chondrogenesis technique group showed improved quality of cartilage repair compared to the microfracture group, regardless of patient age. Compared with simple microfracture treatment, there were no differences in clinical outcomes between the patient groups, related to age. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level Ⅲ.

Indexed as

Arthroplasty, SubchondralCartilage, ArticularChondrogenesisCollagenKnee InjuriesKnee JointAdultAgedAge FactorsFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedPain MeasurementTreatment OutcomeCollagenagecartilagechondrogenesiscollagenkneemicrofracture

Identifiers

PMID39369430
PMCPMC12104775

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.