• Collagen combined with fibrin sealant significantly improves cartilage repair compared to microfracture alone, as evidenced by MRI and histological assessments.
• The combination of collagen and fibrin sealant results in superior integration and surface quality of repaired cartilage, with lower ICRS and Mankin scores indicating better tissue quality.
• The addition of fibrin sealant to collagen enhances the mechanical properties of repaired cartilage, as shown by increased hardness compared to microfracture alone.
• Domestically produced collagen combined with fibrin sealant performs comparably to imported collagen (CartiRegen), suggesting a cost-effective alternative for clinical application.