Table 1.

Indications and Contraindications

Indications	Contraindications
Symptomatic full-thickness articular cartilage defect of >3 cm2	Absolute
Localized grade IV unipolar lesions of the femoral condyle	“Kissing” lesion
Defects due to trauma, OCD, AVN, or intra-articular plateau fractures	More than minor peripheral osteophytes
Young, high-demand patients who are not candidates for joint replacement	Joint-space narrowing
Associated underlying bone defect	Rheumatoid or corticosteroid-induced osteonecrosis
	Relative
	Ligamentous instability (address it first)
	Malalignment (address it first or concurrently)
	Absence of >50% of the meniscus in the affected compartment (consider meniscal transplantation)
	BMI >30

AVN, avascular necrosis; BMI, body mass index; OCD, osteochondritis dissecans.