Repairing Articular Cartilage
The tough yet elastic tissue capping the bone ends in the
knee is called articular cartilage. Working in tandem with meniscal cartilage,
articular cartilage acts as a shock absorber for the knee, allowing the joint
to withstand the day-to-day pressures of walking, running, sitting and standing.
Like meniscal cartilage, articular cartilage can become damaged through the trauma of injury or as a result of the wear and tear that occurs over a lifetime.
Early Intervention
Orthopedic surgeons at the JPC have a full range of options
at their disposal to help patients maintain - or regain - the active lifestyles
we all value.
The Joint Preservation Center offers several procedures that restore or repair damaged articular cartilage and preserves function, starting with methods for repairing early localized damage - called focal chondral defects. These methods include:
Arthroscopic Debridement and Microfracture
Aided by a small camera, surgeons can locate damaged tissue and trim away
areas of torn cartilage. Surgeons can also use this method to carefully created
small holes in the uncovered bone - called microfractures - which heal to
form a type of cartilage covering that resembles normal articular cartilage.
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