Cartilage Transplantation: A Game-Changer for Athletes’ Joint Injuries

When addressing severe sports injuries, especially those involving cartilage damage, cartilage transplantation offers an innovative, advanced treatment approach that helps athletes and active individuals regain strength and mobility. At Space Coast Orthopedics, our team of professionals is here to provide a short guide on what cartilage transplantation is, what conditions it can treat, and how an orthopedic surgeon performs it to improve your joint mobility. 

How Cartilage Transplantation Helps Heal Sports Injuries

Cartilage transplantation is a surgical procedure that involves replacing damaged cartilage with healthy cartilage. The cartilage is sourced from either the patient’s body or a donor, and this procedure is considered an excellent way to help mitigate the effects of sports injuries that have caused severe cartilage damage. While this procedure is commonly performed to address knee injuries, it can also be applied to other joint areas affected by cartilage damage, including the elbows and hips. If you experience persistent joint pain, constant swelling, difficulties moving the joint, and sensations in the joint that lock, then cartilage transplantation may be the procedure you need!

The specific steps involved with the procedure may vary according to the patient’s condition and the extent of the cartilage damage. Here is a general overview of the procedure steps for cartilage transplantation when used to treat sports injuries: 

• Evaluation and Diagnosis: Your orthopedic surgeon will thoroughly evaluate your medical history to observe the extent of the damaged joint. Once the cartilage damage is thoroughly assessed, they can determine if cartilage transplantation is a suitable treatment option. 
• Healthy Cartilage Harvesting: To prepare for the procedure beforehand, your surgeon must harvest healthy cartilage, either from your body or a compatible donor. If harvesting from your body, they will schedule an arthroscopic procedure to harvest the needed cartilage to repair your joints. 
• Joint Preparation: Once the day of surgery has been scheduled and reached, your surgeon will prepare the area through anesthesia and minimally invasive methods to create a suitable bed for the transplanted cartilage. The damaged cartilage will be trimmed or debrided, and your surgeon will remove any loose fragments or debris near the underlying bone. 
• Cartilage Implantation: Once completely prepared, your harvested cartilage will be carefully implanted, positioned, and secured with sutures, fibrin glue, and other fixation techniques. 
• Post-Operative Care and Rehabilitation: Once the surgical area is sutured up, patients must be closely monitored and provided with post-operative care instructions to help manage pain, wound care, and use assistive devices such as crutches. Your surgeon may also prescribe physical therapy and rehabilitation programs to help you recover and restore function to your joint. 

Visit Space Coast Orthopedics For a Joint Consultation Today!

We understand that each patient and their injuries are unique and thus require personalized plans to ensure the best possible recovery. Our team works to provide the best place for specialized treatment, and under the expert care of Dr. Luc Teurlings, you can expect a patient-centered approach that works for your best interests at heart. If you’re experiencing persistent joint pain, call (321) 459-1446 to schedule an appointment at our location in Merritt Island, FL.