difficulty in recruiting

Randomized, controlled, three-arm, double-blind study : control group, treated with core decompression technique VS subchondral plasty by injecting i-FactorTM VS injections of autologous BMC.

The clinical trial is a randomized, controlled, three-arm, double-blind study, involving up to 120 patients. Eligible subjects will be randomly allocated to one of the three treatment groups: control group, treated with core decompression technique, study group 1, treated with subchondral plasty by injecting i-FactorTM, and study group 2, treated by injections of autologous BMC.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male or female patients between 18 and 75 years;
2. Symptomatic subchondral bone marrow lesions of femoral condyles (grade ≥ 1 according to the WORMS MRI score);
3. Failure after at least two months of a conservative treatment;
4. Single BME areas involving a single compartment of the knee;
5. Availability of the patients to participate actively in the rehabilitation protocol and follow-up clinic and radiology;
6. Signature of informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients incapable of discernment;
2. History of allergy to calcium phosphates;
3. Patients with malignancies;
4. Patients with rheumatic diseases;
5. Patients with diabetes;
6. Patients suffering of metabolic disorders of the thyroid;
7. Patients with history of abuse of alcohol, drugs or medication;
8. Patients with advanced osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence grade> 3);
9. Body Mass Index> 35;
10. BME that involve more than one compartment;
11. Patients with trauma in the 6 months prior to the intervention. -