A surgical instrument whose cutting portion is a sharp miniature chisel or awl shape with a series of ridges along the course of the cutting tool. Each ridge has, on its proximal surface, a concave surface. Upon retraction, the instrument is pushed against the side of the defect, allowing the compacted bone on the walls to be captured in the concave recesses of the instrument. Existing instruments compact bone against the walls of the surgical defect rather than removing the compacted bone or tissue. The creation of a small surgically created wound in subchondral bone, absent the thickened compacted bone at the margins, responds with rapid vascular penetration and cellular migration and faster healing with an enhanced histologically confirmed maturing tissue. The surgical defect can be round or slit-like. The instrument allows a wide spectrum of angle of attack to create the surgical defect in the bone and/or articular surface.
