Cartilage restoration procedures have gained increased traction over the years as a treatment for chondral defects in relatively younger patients. A critical assessment of study populations for confounders is vital to interpret results in a valid manner. This is particularly true when assessing outcomes of cartilage restoration procedures in the patellofemoral compartment because there is often great heterogeneity associated with this population. Patients often undergo additional procedures (prior or concomitant), have variable anatomy (malalignment, maltracking, and trochlear dysplasia), and variable chondral defect sizes, depths, and locations (lateral patellar facet, medial patellar facet, median patellar ridge, trochlea).