Articular Cartilage Repair

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.

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.

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.