Cartilage restoration technique of the hip

Hip cartilage lesions represent a diagnostic challenge and can be an elusive source of pain. Treatment may present difficulties due to localization and spherical form of the joint and is most commonly limited to excision, debridement, thermal chondroplasty and microfractures. This chapter will focus in new technologies to enhance the standard techniques. These new technologies are based in stem cells therapies; as intra-articular injections of expanded mesenchymal stem cells, mononuclear concentrate in a platelet-rich plasma matrix and expanded mesenchymal stem cells seeded in a collagen membrane. This review will discuss the bases, techniques and preliminary results obtained with the use of stem cells for the treatment of hip cartilage lesions.