Comparison of BioCart™II With Microfracture for Treatment of Cartilage Defects of the Femoral Condyle

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 16 to 60 years * Femoral condyle lesion (medial, lateral or trochlea) * Single contained lesion * Symptomatic (moderate to severe pain on VAS) * Caused by trauma or OCD * Depth of lesion up to 6 mm * Size of lesion 1.5-7.5 cm2 * No general bone or cartilage pathology * No limb mal-alignment (long leg standing X-ray) * Mechanically stable knee * Accompanying pathology menisectomy up to 50% * Willing and able to comply with protocol and undergo vigorous rehabilitation * Signed informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Multiple cartilage lesions of the knee, other location than femoral condyle (medial, lateral or trochlear), deeper than 6 mm, smaller than 1.5cm2 or greater than 7.5cm2, mild symptoms, caused by reason other than trauma or OCD, unstable knee, accompanying pathology other than 50% menisectomy. * Hyaluronic acid knee injections in the past 3 months, * History of chronic bone or cartilage disorder, bilateral knee pain and/or cartilage lesion * History of any neoplastic disease, or chemotherapy treatment * Chronic steroid intake, chronic pain medication use for conditions other than the involved knee, use of blood thinners (during the past 10 days prior to enrollment) * History of allergy or atopic disease, sensitivity to blood products * Evidence of any significant systemic disease, known coagulopathies or acute injury that might compromise the patient's welfare * Pregnant or lactating women * Substance or alcohol abuse * Microfracture to the affected knee within the previous 2 years * Participation in concurrent trials * Participation in previous trials within 3 months * Malignancy * Taking specific drugs for osteoarthritis, such as chondroitin sulfate, diacerein, n-glucosamine, piaseledine, or capsaicin within 2 weeks of the baseline visit * Chronic use of anticoagulants * Uncontrolled diabetes * Active joint infection * Other unstable cardiac and pulmonary disorder * Liver enzymes (SGOT, SGPT, alkaline phosphatase) of more then two times the upper limit of normal or any other results that in the clinical investigator's mind is important clinically * Clinical and/or radiographic disease in the indexed affected joint that includes: * Osteoarthritis or avascular necrosis * Rheumatoid arthritis or a history of septic or reactive arthritis * Gout or a history of gout or pseudogout in the affected knee * Osteochondritis dissecans of the knee with significant bone loss * Bipolar articular cartilage involvement (or kissing lesions) of the ipsilateral compartment (i.e \>than ICRS grade 2 on the opposing articular surface) * Associated damage to the underlying subchondral bone requiring an osteochondral graft * History of secondary arthropathies (i.e. sickle cell disease, Hemochromatosis, or autoimmune disease) * Receiving prescription pain medication other than NSAIDs or acetaminophen for conditions unrelated to the index knee conditions * BMI \>40 kg/m2 * Unable to undergo MRI * Any reasons making the patient a poor candidate in the eyes of the investigator