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Characteristics and associated factors of Klee cartilage lesions: preliminary baseline-data of more than 1000 patients from the German cartilage registry (KnorpelRegister DGOU)

  • Arthroscopy and Sports Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

Knee cartilage lesions are very frequent in arthroscopic surgery. This multi-center-study was aimed to evaluate the distribution and possible associated factors of these pathologies in more than 1000 patients.

Materials and methods

The German cartilage registry (KnorpelRegister DGOU) started in 2013. In this paper, we present the baseline-data (distribution of knee cartilage lesions and the demographic data) of more than 1000 cases since the registries’ start-up.

Results

A total number of 47 centers were involved into this multicenter study. A total of 1071 patients primary were registered. Degenerative knees 629 times (61.8 %) and injured knees 302 times (29.6 %) were involved. In the remaining 89 knees (8.7 %) the genesis of cartilage lesions was unclear. Single defects were observed in 792 cases (77.6 %). Most frequently the medial femoral condyle or the patella was affected. In 78 knees (7.6 %) the main-defect was associated with a defect of the corresponding joint surface. In the remaining cases complex cartilage damages were found.

Conclusions

Our results are in confirmation with other multicenter studies. But these former studies did not differentiate into traumatic and degenerative lesions. Furthermore no characteristics were given regarding to single, kissing or complex lesions. Thus this database will be a sufficient instrument for the investigation of the “natural course” of cartilage lesions, but above all about the effectiveness of different treatment options.

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Acknowledgments

The German Cartilage Registry (KnorpelRegister DGOU) is supported by the Deutsche Arthrosehilfe e.V. and the Oscar-Helene-Stiftung.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery Eisenach, Sophienstr. 16, 99817, Eisenach, Germany

    Gunter Spahn

  2. Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany

    Gunter Spahn & Gunther O. Hofmann

  3. OCC Tuebingen, Tübingen, Germany

    Jürgen Fritz

  4. Kronprinzenklinik, Reutlingen, Germany

    Dirk Albrecht

  5. Department for Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Freiburg University Hospital, Breisgau, Germany

    Philipp Niemeyer

  6. Trauma Center Bergmannstrost, Halle/S., Germany

    Gunther O. Hofmann

  7. OCM Clinic Munich, Munich, Germany

    Philipp Niemeyer

Authors
  1. Gunter Spahn
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  2. Jürgen Fritz
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  3. Dirk Albrecht
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  4. Gunther O. Hofmann
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  5. Philipp Niemeyer
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gunter Spahn.

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Spahn, G., Fritz, J., Albrecht, D. et al. Characteristics and associated factors of Klee cartilage lesions: preliminary baseline-data of more than 1000 patients from the German cartilage registry (KnorpelRegister DGOU). Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 136, 805–810 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-016-2432-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-016-2432-x

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