Cartilage repair technique for focal chondral defects <2–3 cm². Cylindrical osteochondral plugs harvested from non-weight-bearing areas transplanted to defect. Provides hyaline cartilage repair compared to fibrocartilage from microfracture. Indications: symptomatic focal defects in young active patients. Complications: donor site morbidity, plug mismatch, limited defect size.
