Cartilage Repair

• Cartilage regeneration

  is a procedure that attempts to restore damaged cartilage by harnessing the body’s cells to regrow or replace lost cartilage.

  Most of these treatments can be done by arthroscopy (more commonly known as keyhole surgery), providing benefits of less pain, less bleeding, and faster recovery. However, some injuries will still require a traditional open incision technique with a bigger cut to expose the cartilage damage.

• Cartilage transplantation

  involves transplanting healthy cartilage from a donor or another part of the patient’s body to replace damaged cartilage.

• Microfracture

  is a popular surgical technique for treating areas of damaged cartilage. It is suitable for patients with a small area of damaged cartilage in their joints. The procedure is often performed inside the knee joint but may also be used to treat other joints, such as the hip, ankle, and shoulder.

  For injuries smaller than 2cm², microfracture is the recommended procedure. It involves puncturing small holes in the subchondral bone, a stem cell reservoir.

  The small holes act as channels for the bone marrow cells to surface and fill the area of damaged cartilage. The cells gather in a clot which transforms into fibrocartilage. Fibrocartilage is a tough, dense and elastic material that helps fill in the torn part of the cartilage, hence repairing the lesion.

• Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI),

  ACI is often recommended for younger patients with single defects larger than 2cm2. This is a 2-step procedure that takes several weeks to complete. The first procedure involves extracting healthy cartilage cells from a non-weight-bearing area of the knee through minimally invasive surgery. The cells are then cloned and grown in the laboratory for 6 – 8 weeks. After that, a surgical procedure is done to implant the newly grown cells into the damaged area.;

  This is a 2-step procedure that repairs the articular cartilage damage by using the patient’s own cultured cartilage cells. The first step is similar to that in ACI, where healthy cartilage cells are extracted from a non-weight-bearing area of the knee. The cells are then cultivated on a membrane. Several weeks later, the membrane is placed into the defect. This helps the cartilage regenerate.

  Articular cartilage is the smooth, white tissue covering the ends of bones, which come together to form joints. The presence of cartilage in the joints helps in movement and allows bones to glide over each other with little friction. However, daily wear and tear or an injury may damage the articular cartilage.

• Osteochondral autograft transplantation

  In this 1-step procedure, the surgeon harvests a ‘plug’ of healthy tissue and bone from an unaffected, non-weight-bearing area of the patient’s own joint. Then, the new graft is transferred to replace the damaged area. When multiple ‘plugs’ are used, the result is like a mosaic pattern, hence the term mosaicplasty.

Our orthopaedic surgeons are experts in these treatments and have helped many patients recover from cartilage damage and return to normal activities.

In addition to our expertise in cartilage repair, we also provide comprehensive orthopaedic care for a wide range of conditions, including:

• Joint pain and arthritis
• Sports injuries
• Fractures and dislocations
• Spinal conditions
• Foot and ankle problems

We use the latest technologies and techniques to diagnose and treat these conditions, including minimally invasive surgery, arthroscopy, and advanced imaging techniques.

At our clinic, we believe in a patient-centred approach to care. Therefore, we work closely with each patient to develop a personalized treatment plan considering their needs, goals, and preferences. We also provide ongoing support and education to help our patients achieve the best possible outcomes.

If you’re experiencing cartilage damage or any other orthopaedic condition, we’re here to help. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced orthopaedic surgeons.