Cartilage Restoration Center
Healthy cartilage provides a cushion between the bones in your knee to help your knee joint move smoothly. When an injury or wear and tear causes your knee cartilage to break down and become damaged, this can cause pain and swelling in your joint.
To maximize your knee function and lessen your pain, our experts at the Premier Health Cartilage Restoration Center at Miami Valley Hospital South tailor a treatment plan just for you.
Cartilage restoration treatment can help prevent further cartilage damage that may lead to osteoarthritis and the need for joint replacement surgery.
Our specialists in knee care use the most current non-surgical treatments and groundbreaking surgical options to match your needs. You can feel confident knowing you are receiving advanced care close to home.
We serve high school athletes and adults of all ages. Call us today at (937) 312-1661(937) 312-1661.
Non-Surgical Treatments
Many cartilage problems can be resolved without surgery. Treatments we offer include:
Anti-inflammatory medications. These are designed to reduce swelling and painful rubbing in the knee joint.
Physical therapy. Customized exercises and therapy can help you regain joint function and strength for work, sport, and everyday activity.
Joint injections. There are many substances that can be injected into a damaged joint to relieve pain and improve movement. These include:
- Steroid injections, often called a cortisone shot, which has been used for years to decrease joint inflammation, pain, and swelling
- Hyaluronic acid (HA), which is a gel injection of a natural substance that reduces swelling and thickens fluid in your joint to help your knee move more easily
- Biologic agents that use your own “healing” cells to help restore the damaged cartilage. These include injections of platelet rich plasma (PRP) taken from your own blood and stem cells taken from your own bone.
Weight loss solutions. Losing excessive weight can relieve additional stress on your knees and other joints. Premier Weight Loss Solutions offers medically managed weight loss to help you achieve a healthy weight. If your body mass index (BMI) is 35 or more and other weight loss attempts have been unsuccessful, surgical weight loss may be a more effective option for you.
Surgical Treatments
Sometimes cartilage damage in your knee requires more in-depth treatment. Our specialists have extensive experience in several advanced surgical techniques, including:
Arthroscopic debridement. This is often the first surgical treatment our doctors use. During this minimally invasive procedure, your surgeon smooths rough edges of cartilage and may remove loose fragments. Many patients improve with this approach, and it allows the surgeon to fully evaluate your cartilage defects. Recovery is relatively quick, and most patients are off crutches within a few days.
Microfracture. Most often used for small cartilage defects, this procedure drills tiny holes into the bone at the base of the cartilage damage. Bone marrow cells bleed through to form a clot that turns into new cartilage, which makes movement easier. During recovery, you will need to use crutches for about six weeks.
Matrix Induced Autologous Cultured Chondrocyte Cell Implantation (MACI). In the first stage of this procedure, a small tissue sample is taken from your healthy knee cartilage. A special lab grows these cells over a few weeks. In a second procedure, a patch of these cells is placed over your damaged cartilage. For patients with large or complex cartilage damage, this is among the most effective treatment options. Premier Health orthopedic surgeons are among a small number in the area trained and certified in this technique.
Osteochondral Allograft (OCA). OCA is also performed for larger or more complex cartilage damage. With this procedure, a graft of bone and cartilage is taken from a tissue donor and implanted into the damaged area. In addition to MACI, this procedure is one of the best treatment options for large cartilage defects.
If cartilage damage becomes severe enough, you may need a joint replacement, also called arthroplasty. Your doctor will discuss all recommendations with you.
Contact Us
Our orthopedic team is here for you. We have physicians and physical therapists who specialize in knee care and sports medicine. Many have completed fellowships to gain additional specialized training in advanced techniques to preserve, resurface, or reconstruct the knee joint.
For an appointment or more information, contact us at (937) 312-1661(937) 312-1661.