Injuries are hardly avoidable, especially if you are an active person. During an injury, you may encounter damaged cartilage, leading to pain and dysfunction. Cartilage cannot repair itself. You will need manteca cartilage restoration to prevent progression into symptomatic arthritis. Cartilage restoration involves surgery to repair the damaged cartilage so new cartilage can regenerate. Restoring your cartilage will allow better functionality and relieve pain. Additionally, a cartilage repair can delay the onset of arthritis. Read on to find out how different treatments help with cartilage repair.
Microfracture
Microfracture aims to create a new blood supply that stimulates the growth of new cartilage. During a Microfracture, your doctor will use a sharp tool to make several holes in your joint surface below your subchondral bone. As a result, your body will initiate a healing response that creates a new blood supply, bringing cells that will form your new articular cartilage. The treatment is effective for treating cartilage defects as a short-term treatment as you continue seeking a long-term solution.
Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation
Your doctor will perform an ACI in two steps. Firstly, your doctor will arthroscopically remove healthy cartilage tissue from a non-weight-bearing bone area. The removed tissue will then go to the lab, and the cartilage cells will increase over the next few weeks. Secondly, your doctor will perform an arthrotomy which involves implanting the new cells. Your doctor will sew a layer of bone-lining tissue over the area and seal it with fibrin glue. Lastly, your doctor will inject the newly grown cells into the defect. You may need several weeks to experience complete healing. ACI can effectively work if you have a single defect with more than 2 cm diameter.
Osteochondral Autograft Transplantation
During this procedure, your doctor will transfer cartilage from one part of your joint to another. Your doctor will harvest a healthy cartilage tissue from a non-weight-bearing region, match it to the defect area and then impact it. Thus, you will have a smooth cartilage surface in your joint. You can have an excellent outcome because of using your tissues. Osteochondral autograft may work effectively for individuals engaging in high-demand activities. However, it may work better for those with smaller cartilage defects because your doctor can only harvest a limited amount of healthy graft tissue in the same joint.
Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation
Your doctor can recommend an allograft if you have a larger cartilage defect that an autograft may not repair. Your doctor will take an allograft from a cadaver bone, take it to the lab for sterilization and preparation and then test it for possible diseases. Since an allograft is mostly larger than an autograft, your doctor can easily shape it to fit the defect area and then place it with exact precision. Your doctor will do this procedure through an open incision.
Articular cartilage is a white tissue covering the end of your bones to form joints. You have healthy cartilage in your joints that allow easy movement with little friction. Damage to the articular cartilage may result from an injury, but because the cartilage cannot heal well, you will need surgical repair. You are a candidate for cartilage restoration, especially if you are a young adult with a single lesion. Most of the restoration will happen arthroscopically to give you a chance at a quicker recovery.
Johnson