The procedure is primarily recommended to avoid the need of joint replacement and is highly effective for patients who are under the age of 50 years. This includes young adults with a single injury while old patients with multiple joint injury are less likely to benefit from the surgery.
The patient’s knee is resurfaced, realigned and stabilized. The articular cartilage can be damaged by normal wear and tear. Surgical techniques are advised to stimulate the growth of the new cartilage. Cartilage restoration can significantly help in relieving pain and can enhance better functioning and mobility.
Furthermore, the potential chances of onset of degenerative diseases like arthritis can be delayed or prevented. Although shoulder and ankle injuries can also be treated, the method is more suitable for the knee region.
AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION (ACI)
This is a two-step procedure in which new cartilage cells are grown and thereafter implanted in the cartilage defect. Using the arthroscopic procedure, the healthy cartilage tissues are removed from the non-weight-bearing areas of the bone. These tissues are then cultured and processed in a lab where they multiply over a period of 3 to 5 weeks.
Thereafter, newly grown cells are implanted through open surgery to repair the defective cartilage. In addition to this, there is no risk of the patient's body rejecting the tissue as the patient's own cells are used.
OSTEOCHONDRAL AUTOGRAFT TRANSPLANTATION
In this procedure, cartilage is transferred from one part of the joint to another. From the non-weight bearing area, healthy cartilage tissues or graft is taken. Thereafter, the graft is matched to the defective area and subsequently placed on the affected area.
When the damaged area is very large, cartilage and bone transplants are indicated. The method is highly effective in treating injuries that expose the underlying bone. The tissues are generally taken from other individual’s bodies.
MOSAICPLASTY
If cartilage defects such as those related to articular joints remain untreated, it can lead to degeneration of the joint and subsequent disability. Mosaicplasty is one such technique for treating defective cartilage.
The cartilage is repaired by harvesting and transplanting cylindrical plugs of bones and cartilage. As implants are grafted in a mosaic-like fashion, it helps in the treatment and management of small and medium-sized defects in the cartilage.
MICROFRACTURE
This is a surgical procedure used for repairing damaged articular cartilage by making multiple small holes in the surface of the joint. All these efforts help stimulate a healing response. The technique was primarily used in athletes for treating injuries.
The cartilage restoration method ranges from non-operative injections for lubrication to surgical interventions. In the absence of healing, the initial damage to the articular cartilage gets worse. Such a situation can lead to post-traumatic arthritis or the deformation of the underlying bone.