Live from the Arthrex Team Physician Controversies Conference

🎧 Episode Summary

In this episode of The Sports Docs Podcast, Dr. Ashley Bassett and Dr. Catherine Logan sit down LIVE from the Arthrex Team Physician Controversies with cartilage restoration expert Dr. Travis Maak to discuss the modern surgical management of knee cartilage defects.

The conversation focuses on diagnostic workup, surgical decision-making, and cutting-edge cartilage restoration techniques, including Autocart, BioCartilage, and Cartiform.

Diagnostic Imaging - MRI is critical for:

• Defect size and depth
• Subchondral bone integrity and edema
• Concomitant meniscal and ligament pathology

Surgical Decision-Making

• Patient age & activity level
• Lesion size, location, & containment
• Subchondral bone involvement
• Prior surgical history

Autocart (Autologous Minced Cartilage)

Single-stage autograft cartilage restoration technique
Uses patient’s own cartilage with PRP or BMAC
Key advantages:

• Preserves native chondrocytes & extracellular matrix
• Avoids staged procedures

Ideal for small-to-medium contained lesions

Outcomes:

• Significant improvements in pain & function at ~5 years
• ~75% achieve clinically meaningful outcomes
• Low reoperation rates

BioCartilage

Micronized cartilage extracellular matrix allograft scaffold
Used in combination with microfracture and biologics (PRP/BMAC)
Functions as a biologic bridge to enhance cartilage repair

Best for:

• Small-to-medium, contained, full-thickness defects
• Well-aligned, stable knees

Outcomes:

• Improved pain and function at 2 years
• Better repair tissue quality compared to microfracture alone

Cartiform

Cryopreserved osteochondral allograft with viable chondrocytes
Maintains native cartilage architecture

Indicated for:

• Larger lesions (>2 cm²)
• Defects with subchondral bone involvement

Advantages:

• Single-stage procedure
• Conforms to irregular defects

Key Takeaways

• Cartilage restoration success depends on correcting biomechanics first
• Procedure selection should be lesion-specific and patient-specific
• Autocart offers a promising autograft solution with strong midterm data
• BioCartilage fills the gap between microfracture and larger restoration procedures
• Cartiform is a valuable option for larger defects and requires careful patient selection

Featured Guest

Dr. Travis Maak – University of Utah, Head Team Physician for the Utah Jazz, cartilage restoration and joint preservation specialist

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Modern Surgical Management of Elbow UCL Tears

Live from the Arthrex Team Physician Controversies

🎧 Episode Summary

In this episode of The Sports Docs Podcast, Dr. Ashley Bassett and Dr. Catherine Logan sit down LIVE from the Arthrex Team Physician Controversies with two leaders in sports medicine—Dr. Neal ElAttrache and Dr. Jeffrey Dugas—to discuss the modern management of ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries in throwing athletes.

Highlights

Changing UCL Injury Landscape

• Increasing incidence of UCL injuries and surgeries across all levels of play
• Notable rise in adolescent and collegiate pitchers
• Contributing factors include year-round play and high pitch velocity

Nonoperative Management & Role of PRP

• Nonoperative treatment remains appropriate for select partial tears
• Success varies based on tear grade and location
• PRP discussed as an adjunct to rehab

Indications for Surgery

• Complete tears—especially in competitive throwers—often require surgical intervention
• Tear characteristics (location, tissue quality, chronicity) are critical in decision-making

UCL Repair with Internal Brace

• Increasingly utilized in appropriately selected patients
• Ideal candidates:
  • Acute injuries
  • Proximal or distal avulsion tears
  • Good tissue quality
• Advantages:
  • High return-to-play (~90%+)
  • Accelerated recovery timelines (often several months faster)

UCL Reconstruction (Tommy John Surgery)

• Remains the gold standard for:
  • Chronic degeneration
  • Midsubstance tears
  • Revision cases
• Techniques have evolved over time:
  • Docking technique
  • Figure-of-eight
  • Newer fixation methods (e.g., cortical button techniques)
• Autograft (commonly palmaris longus) remains preferred in elite throwers

Internal Brace Technology

• Provides added stability and resistance to valgus stress
• Supports early rehabilitation while protecting healing tissue
• Increasing use in both repair and, selectively, reconstruction

Key Takeaways

• UCL injuries are increasing, particularly in younger athletes
• Treatment decisions are increasingly personalized based on tear type and athlete profile
• UCL repair with Internal Brace is shifting the paradigm for select patients
• Reconstruction remains essential for more complex or chronic injuries

Featured Guests

• Dr. Neal ElAttrache – Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic, Head Team Physician for the LA Dodgers & LA Rams
• Dr. Jeffrey Dugas – Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic Center, leading expert in UCL repair and reconstruction

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Live from the 10th Annual Arthrex Team Physician Controversies Conference

🎧 Episode Overview

In this episode of The Sports Docs Podcast, Dr. Ashley Bassett and Dr. Catherine Logan sit down LIVE from the Arthrex Team Physician Controversies Conference to explore how next-generation arthroscopic imaging is transforming the way orthopaedic surgeons diagnose and treat injuries.

Joined by Dr. James Voos—Chairman of Orthopedics at University Hospitals and Head Team Physician for the Cleveland Browns—the conversation dives into the evolution of nano arthroscopy, panoramic visualization, and integrated imaging systems, and what these advancements mean for surgeons, athletes, and patient outcomes.

What You’ll Learn

1. The Evolution of Nano Arthroscopy

• From the original Arthrex NanoScope (2019) to NanoNeedle 2.0
• Major leap in image resolution (400×400 → 720×720, near 4K)
• Less invasive approach and improved patient experience

2. Seeing What Imaging Can Miss

• How in-office diagnostic arthroscopy is reducing reliance on equivocal MRI findings
• Identifying subtle pathology:
  • Partial-thickness rotator cuff tears
  • Meniscal ramp lesions
  • Early chondral defects

3. The Power of Panoramic Visualization (Panoscope)

• Expanded field of view compared to traditional arthroscopy
• Seamless transition between 30°, 70°, and ultra-wide 45° views
• Reduced “blind spots” in complex anatomy

4. Workflow & Efficiency in the OR

• How the Synergy Vision System integrates NanoNeedle + Panoscope
• Dual-view capability for enhanced intraoperative decision-making
• Improved efficiency

5. Adoption & Learning Curve

• Designed to be intuitive for surgeons
• Importance of training and mentorship
• Technology enhances decision-making without adding complexity

Featured Guest

Dr. James Voos

• Chairman of Orthopedics, University Hospitals
• Medical Director, UH Drusinsky Sports Medicine Institute
• Head Team Physician, Cleveland Browns

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