Cartilage Restoration
Do you suffer from joint pain? You’re not alone. In fact, an estimated two million Americans of all ages are affected by cartilage injuries each year. In the past, painful, debilitating cartilage injuries were treated ineffectively, and standard surgery only offered limited relief. This is why the orthopedic surgeons at Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute developed the Cartilage Restoration Center.
Our Center, staffed by the board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons of Advanced Orthopedics, utilizes the latest techniques to restore cartilage and perform restoration. We are completely devoted to the treatment of cartilaginous injuries to the knee, ankle, shoulder, with the goal of eliminating pain, restoring function and facilitating your return to full activity.
How Do Cartilage Injuries Occur?
Cartilage is the rubbery, smooth substance that covers the ends of the bones in a joint that allows for smooth gliding and cushioning. Common causes of cartilage injuries include:
- Trauma, such as twisting or direct impact
- Ligament injuries that make the joint unstable or loose can result in damage to the joint surface cartilage
- Poorly aligned joints can place excess pressure on cartilage
Common Procedures for Cartilage Injuries
Cartilage regeneration and cartilage replacement knee procedures are performed by the board-certified orthopedic surgeons of the Cartilage Restoration Center of NJ, who have extensive experience treating cartilage injuries. The surgeries can often be performed at an outpatient surgery center or at a hospital, depending on the procedure. Treatment after surgery often requires specialized physical therapy, which can be done at AOSMI’s Advanced Physical Therapy center under the direct supervision of the physicians of our Cartilage Restoration Center. Procedures include:
- Microfracture – An arthroscopic procedure that stimulates cartilage regeneration
- Osteochondral Autograft Transplantation – Utilizing bone and cartilage plugs taken from a low load area of the knee and transferred to the damaged area
- Osteochondral Allograft Transplant – Used when donor bone and cartilage plugs are applied in the damaged area
- DeNovo NT – Used when juvenile donor cartilage is used to repair a damaged area
- Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation – Harvested via arthroscopic surgery, our own cartilage cells are grown and then transplanted into the damaged area
Who Can Be Treated?
Anyone from teens to middle-aged adults can be treated with the techniques used by the orthopedic surgeons at the Cartilage Restoration Center to repair or regenerate cartilage. For older active patients, other treatments offered at Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute such as joint realignment or partial or total joint replacement may be needed.
If you’re suffering from joint pain or think you need cartilage replacement or cartilage regeneration, contact us at 732.720.2555
