Editorial Commentary: Microfracture Remains a Foundational Tool for Cartilage Restoration During Hip-Preservation Procedures: Defying the Odds

A comprehensive approach to arthroscopic hip preservation in patients whose pathology includes cartilage defects may include microfracture; microfracture has been shown to have long-lasting positive effects in most patients treated for femoroacetabular impingement plus full-thickness chondral pathology. Although modern cartilage treatment alternatives such as autologous chondrocyte implantation, autologous matrix-induced chondrogenesis scaffolds, allograft or autograft particulate cartilage graft, and others have been described for the treatment of high-degree cartilage acetabular lesions, microfracture remains a foundational tool in cartilage restoration procedures. That said, when determining outcome, comorbidity must be considered, and, moreover, it is difficult to determine whether outcomes are only attributable to the microfracture versus concomitant procedures or changes in postoperative activity of operated patients.