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I probably should have asked this question before I had surgery, but how well does the microfracture method of knee cartilage repair work? Will it last the rest of my life? (I'm 44 years old).

No one really knows the answer to that question yet. A group of researchers from several orthopedic clinics across the United States got together and reviewed all the studies they could find on microfracture. They were specifically looking at long-term results. But out of 28 studies involving over 3,000 patients, only five studies followed their patients for more than two years. And only five of those studies went past the five-year mark. What we do know from that analysis is that the early results are good. Patients have less pain, less swelling, and more function. But the durability of the procedure is under question. Over time, there's a significant amount of deterioration that takes place. Efforts are underway to find out why this happens. So far, it looks like younger patients who are not overweight have the best results. But even for older adults who exceed the weight limit, the final results are still better than before the surgery. Right now, the best plan is to keep your follow-up visits with the surgeon. Identify any problems early on and treat them quickly to avoid further complications. With care and avoiding overuse, the results can be very good. The treatment technique is considered safe and minimally invasive with very few adverse side effects.

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