microfracture

noun

mi·​cro·​frac·​ture

ˌmī-krō-ˈfrak-chər, 

-shər 

plural microfractures

1

: a small or minute fracture in a material (such as bone or rock)

developed a microfracture in her knee

microfractures in sandstone

2

: a surgery performed by arthroscopy that involves drilling small holes into the bone near damaged articular cartilage to stimulate reparative growth

—often used before another noun

microfracture surgery

Word History

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for microfracture

• manufacture
• contracture
• facture
• fracture

Medical Definition

microfracture

noun

mi·​cro·​frac·​ture ˌmī-krō-ˈfrak-chər, -shər 

1

: a small or minute fracture in a material (such as bone) : microcrack

Microfractures are the result of normal physical activity. Hence, the widespread occurrence of trabecular microfracture in cancellous bone implies that a reasonable rate of microfracture is physiologically tolerable.

—Nicola L. Fazzalari, Calcified Tissue International

2

: an arthroscopic surgical procedure for the repair of damaged articular cartilage that involves debriding loose and calcified cartilage and drilling small holes in the bone beneath so that blood and bone marrow flow through and form a clot over the area of cartilage damage which will eventually develop into replacement fibrocartilage

In a classic treatment for cartilage regeneration, known as microfracture, mesenchymal stem cells are released from marrow in the underlying bone to permeate the damaged cartilage area.

—Jacob Klein, Science