Cartilage Grade Levels

Determined by Defect Location Relative to the Weight Bearing or High Utilization Region of a Graft.

Grade 1: Pristine cartilage, no defects of that type (minor Rough Areas and striations OK)
Grade 2: Defects outside a WB/HU region.
Grade 3: Defects inside a WB/HU region.
Grade 4: No usable cartilage.

Weight Bearing Regions of HemiCondyles

*The Weight Bearing Regions begin where the trochlear cut would be made (45° from intercondylar notch) and end at where the posterior curvature starts. *

Weight Bearing/High Utilization Regions of the Distal Tibia and Talus

The WB/HU Region of the Distal Tibia comprises of the lateral 1/3 of the cartilage surface. The WB/HU Region of the Talus encompasses most of the talar dome, skewed slightly to the medial portion of the dome.

Updated on: 24/04/2025