Cartilage Restoration Treatment Options
A chondral defect is a localized area of damage to the articular cartilage that covers the ends of the bones in the knee joint. The development of chondral defects can increase the risk and rate of progression of osteoarthritis of the knee.
Management of chondral defects is challenging and requires an assessment of the size and location of the defect, limb alignment, ligamentous stability of the knee, and the health of the patient. All treatment options are individualized for each patient’s specific needs and demands.
Initial treatment for a chondral defect is conservative measures including over-the-counter and prescription anti-inflammatory medications, analgesics, weight loss, physical therapy and exercise. When conservative management is insufficient to relieve symptoms nonsurgical steroid, hyaluronic acid, or PRP injections may be offered before proceeding to surgery.
The goal of surgery is to improve function and eliminate pain, and to prevent osteoarthritis, and the need for a knee replacement.
Arthroscopic debridement is a procedure to remove cartilage fragments and smooth out the cartilage to reduce friction, and for symptom relief. This can be a good first approach to cartilage injuries because some people will improve with this minimally invasive procedure. Furthermore, it will allow the surgeon to characterize the cartilage injury in the event that an advanced cartilage restoration procedure is required in the future.
Microfracture is the most common surgical option to treat small chondral lesions to treat pain and restore cartilage. This minimally invasive procedure entails perforation of bone near the lesion to induce bleeding and stimulating the release of bone marrow cells that promote cartilage restoration. The goal is to prevent further damage and knee arthritis.
ACI is an advanced treatment for cartilage restoration. This procedure is utilized for medium-sized cartilage lesions of the femur and patella. ACI is a two-step process where cartilage-producing cells called chondrocytes are harvested from the patient in a small biopsy from the knee or another area. The cells are grown in a lab and implanted into the cartilage defect during a subsequent surgery. ACI is a predictable and durable option in young and active patients.
An osteochondral autograft is tissue – bone and cartilage – harvested from a less-weightbearing area of the knee and transplanted into the defect to fill it. This is a single stage procedure. With time the transferred cartilage fills the defect. Studies report that OATS is an excellent option that provides clinically significant improvement in function. OATS is usually reserved for small-to-moderate sized lesions and has been shown to be superior to microfracture and requires superior technical skill to achieve appropriate sizing and contouring of the graft to fill the defect.
Osteochondral allografts are obtained from a donor and the fresh graft is implanted into the patient. They are often used successfully to treat larger cartilage defects.
Biologic therapies such as bone marrow stem cell transplants are on the horizon. Bone – derived stem cells can differentiate into cartilage cells for implantation. Dr. Petrigliano will discuss these options during your consultation.
Why choose Dr. Petrigliano?
Dr. Frank Petrigliano is an orthopaedic surgeon who was fellowship trained in sports medicine and shoulder surgery at the prestigious Hospital for Special Surgery where he provided care to athletes of all ages. He currently serves as the head team physician for the LA Kings hockey team and associate team physician for USC Athletics. Dr. Petrigliano is a renowned orthopaedic surgeon and researcher who employs state of the art treatments and procedures to get you back to your active life and back to sport. He always treats his patients with compassion and respect. Dr. Petrigliano is located in El Segundo California, and serves greater Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, the South Bay, and the Santa Clarita Valley. Contact Dr. Petrigliano to schedule a consultation today.
At a Glance
Dr. Frank Petrigliano
- Vice Chair of Education for the UCLA Department of Orthopadic Surgery
- Head team physician for the LA Chargers Football
- Associate team physician for UCLA Athletics
- Learn more
