The American journal of sports medicine
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Studies that compare the effectiveness of different cartilage repair treatments are needed to update treatment algorithms. ⋯ Although patients treated with debridement for symptomatic, large, focal, chondral defects of the distal femur had some functional improvement at follow-up, patients who received autologous chondrocyte implantations obtained higher levels of knee function and had greater relief from pain and swelling at 3 years.