Arthroscopic debridement with microfragmented adipose tissue for wrist and hand chondral lesions in professional athletes.

Early human evidence such as case series or small samples is exploring possible benefits.

• Level A · Stronger Clinical Evidence
• Level B · Emerging clinical evidence with positive signals
• Level C · Early human research exploring benefits
• Level D · Scientific groundwork from lab and animal studies
• Emerging · Emerging topic under active research

Abstract (original English)

Background Focal chondral lesions of the wrist and hand are an underrecognized source of pain and functional limitation in athletes. Their management remains challenging due to the limited healing capacity of hyaline cartilage, the biomechanical demands of small joints, and the lack of standardized treatment algorithms. Arthroscopy allows accurate diagnosis and targeted treatment with minimal morbidity, while biologic augmentation using autologous adipose-derived products has emerged as a potential adjunct to improve clinical outcomes. Objective To evaluate the clinical outcomes of arthroscopic debridement combined with intra- and peri-articular injection of autologous microfragmented adipose tissue in professional athletes affected by focal chondral lesions of the wrist and hand. Patients and methods This prospective single-center case series included six professional athletes (5 men, 1 woman; mean age 26.3 years) treated between June 2020 and April 2022. A total of nine joints were addressed (3 radiocarpal and 6 metacarpophalangeal). All patients underwent standardized wrist or hand arthroscopy followed by intra- and peri-articular injection of autologous microfragmented adipose tissue processed using a closed mechanical system. Chondral lesions were graded according to the International Cartilage Repair Society classification. Clinical outcomes included pain (visual analog s

Evidence level

Early human evidence such as case series or small samples is exploring possible benefits.

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