The study’s main objective was to evaluate, in the short-term, the result of the autologous acellular matrixinduced chondrogenesis (AMIC) technique in a selected group of patients with 2-4 cm2 full-thickness chondral lesions, undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).
A retrospective single-center Level IV case series of 42 patients (49 hips) who underwent an arthroscopic hip surgery with a liquid acellular collagen matrix. Inclusion criteria for implantation were FAI diagnosis, grade IV chondral lesions (Outerbridge size 2-4 cm2); Tönnis stage 0-II, minimum follow-up of 12 months, and 1 year (12-15 months) evaluation with very high field 3-T MRI arthrography. Exclusion criteria were Tönnis III, joint space <2 mm, center-edge angle <20, and <12 months of follow-up. Clinical assessments involved symptoms duration until surgery, mHHS, reporting percentages of patient acceptable symptomatic state (PASS) and minimal clinically important difference (MCID), pain with a VAS, and level of satisfaction. Radiological assessments: Tönnis stage, articular space, alpha and lateral center edge angle (Wiberg), and generated tissue characteristics at 1 year (based on the MOCART score), through 3-T MRI.
42 patients (49 hips) treated; 43 men and 6 women (mean age: 41.5 years; range:25-55). Two women underwent joint replacement surgery. Thus, 40 patients (47 hips) were analyzed. At 36 months following surgery (range: 12-60), improvement was obtained in all parameters assessed, focusing on the characteristics of the generated tissue in the MRI (MOCART scores). 93% of the patients met the MCID (improvement >12 points in the mHHS), and 91% scored >74 points, achieving the PASS. Patients’ satisfaction was 85.6% (SD 20,3).
The liquid AMIC is a safe technique that shows good clinical and radiological outcomes in the short term in patients with femoroacetabular impingement and grade IV acetabular 2-4 cm2 chondral defects.