Chronic Joint Pain and Cartilage Regeneration

These regenerative treatments are usually administered through arthroscopy (minimally invasive surgery). The surgery greatly reduces recovery time and complications by using small incisions. Sometimes larger incisions are needed to adequately expose the damaged cartilage for treatment.

Currently, some of the procedures used for cartilage repair include arthroscopic debridement (minimally invasive surgery). This is done by removing unstable damaged cartilage and stabilizing healthy cartilage margins. This is not a permanent cure, but it does help reduce symptoms to some extent.

Microfracture surgery is another technique that is performed for injuries smaller than 2 cm. In this procedure, multiple tiny holes are drilled into the underlying bone, a stem cell-rich clot forms a structure called fibrocartilage at the damaged site, and this material repairs the damaged cartilage by filling in the gaps.

Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) is a two-step procedure that takes several weeks. It is generally recommended for younger patients with single defects larger than 2 cm. The procedure begins with obtaining and growing healthy cartilage cells from a structurally isolated area of the knee. These cells are then surgically implanted into the damaged area.

In the Matrix-Induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (MACI) procedure, articular cartilage damage is repaired using self-made cartilage cells as in ACI. But the cells now expand into a membrane and a few weeks later this membrane implants itself at the damaged site.

Osteochondral autograft transplantation is a graft of healthy bone and tissue from the patient's unaffected joint to the damaged area. These are called plugs, and multiple plugs form a mosaic at the transplant site, giving it the name mosaicplasty.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC) can form cells of bone, cartilage, muscle and adipose tissue. They are found in the bone marrow and adipose tissues, etc. They are used to repair cartilage and have shown promising results in human research and clinical trials. However, before using stem cell therapy, long-term studies are routinely needed.

After repair procedures, patients are advised to reduce pressure on the cartilage by using crutches for at least two months. Full recovery could take 3 to 6 months. You should consult a specialist if you suffer from chronic knee or joint pain and discuss the available treatments to find which one will be most beneficial for you. Book a consultation with one of our top doctors at Matsya Hospital.