Table 4 Results of histological evaluation at 3 months

%Hyaline cartilage

4.7 ± 3.0

1.0 ± 1.1

0.019*

0.75

6.58

Structural characteristics

6.0 ± 0.6

3.2 ± 2.0

0.009*

0.89

4.78

Freedom from cellular changes of degeneration

1.8 ± 0.4

1.2 ± 1.0

0.156

−0.30

1.64

Freedom from degenerate changes in adjacent cartilage

1.7 ± 0.8

1.3 ± 0.5

0.419

−0.55

1.21

Reconstitution of subchondral bone

1.5 ± 0.6

0.5 ± 0.6

0.010*

0.30

1.71

Bonding of repair cartilage to de novo subchondral bone

1.5 ± 0.6

0.8 ± 0.8

0.110

−0.18

1.53

Safrinin O staining

1.3 ± 0.8

0.3 ± 0.5

0.030*

0.12

1.88

Total

18.5 ± 4.2

8.3 ± 4.6

0.003*

4.46

15.87