METHOD FOR TREATING CARTILAGE DEFECTS

1 . A method for treating a cartilage defect in a human subject comprising:

obtaining blood compatible with the subject;

fractioning the blood to produce a blood component, said blood component selected from the group consisting of platelet-poor plasma, concentrated platelet-poor plasma, platelet-rich plasma, and combinations thereof;

shaping the cartilage defect to expose subchondral bone;

microfracturing the subchondral bone; and

applying the blood component to the site of the microfractured subchondral bone to substantially fill the cartilage defect with the blood component.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the blood component comprises platelet-rich plasma.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising resecting a portion of a surrounding cartilage at the cartilage defect.

4 . (canceled)

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying comprises delivering a sufficient amount of the blood component to provide a cartilage fill area that is substantially flush with surrounding healthy cartilage.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein shaping the cartilage defect to expose an underlying bone comprises removing a layer of calcified cartilage at the cartilage defect.

7 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising administering to the cartilage defect a platelet activator selected from the group consisting of thrombin, CaCl 2 , a coagulation factor, and combinations thereof.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising simultaneously delivering the blood component and a platelet activator to the cartilage defect.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein a clot is formed in less than 30 seconds.

10 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising administering concentrated platelet-poor plasma to the cartilage defect.