The present invention provides an method to alleviate a deteriorated condition at an articular joint site and for repair of damaged cartilage the method including the steps of imaging for the presence of osteonecrosis in the underlying bone, forming a cylindrical plug comprising articular cartilage and osteonecrotic bone using an endoscopic trephine, inspecting the removed cylindrical plug and the joint site for additional articular cartilage and osteonecrotic bone, selectively debriding osteonecrotic bone material associated with the bone cavity to achieve desired vascular characteristics for receiving a prepared bone graft material within the bone cavity, and overlying the received bone graft material with cartilage tissue at the cartilage tissue receiving surface.