Articular Cartilage Defects: Incidence, Diagnosis, and Natural History

Articular cartilage injuries are common and have the potential to progress to osteoarthritis if left untreated. Once articular cartilage is damaged, full recovery of its structure, function, and biomechanical properties is unlikely. The diagnosis and treatment of symptomatic cartilage defects is challenging and requires attention to detail as both patient specific and cartilage defect specific factors need to be appreciated in order to obtain an accurate evaluation of the patient. Given the variety of therapies for the treatment of symptomatic cartilage lesions, one must consider the big picture to provide a long-lasting solution. This article will discuss the incidence, natural history, and diagnostic process in depth, serving as a guideline to the orthopaedic surgeon engaged in the treatment of cartilage defects.