Severe joint damage is usually corrected with joint replacement surgery, but patients who don’t require surgery can benefit from biologic joint preservation. These techniques are generally performed on patients with cartilage defects, in order to retain joint function. But what is biologic joint preservation, and how effective is it.
Biologic joint preservation is a branch of orthopedic medicine that incorporates biologic methods to help repair the articular cartilage. The articular cartilage is smooth tissue that covers the surface of joints. It can become damaged as a result of an injury, or due to deterioration over time. There are different procedures that can be used to repair articular cartilage. These include:
Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI): ACI is used to treat cartilage defects. During the procedure a sample of healthy cartilage cells is removed. The cells are then duplicated over a 3 to 5 week period. After this, a second procedure is done to implant the newly grown cartilage into the joint.
Osteochondral autograft transplantation: In this procedure, damaged cartilage is replaced with healthy cartilage harvested from another region of the joint. The graft is taken from an area that does not have to carry a significant amount of weight.
Osteochondral allograft transplantation: This procedure is similar to the transplantation method above, but in this case the graft is obtained from a cadaver donor (allograft), and not from the joint of the patient. This option is performed in cases where there is extensive damage to the joint, and an autograft would therefore not be possible.
Biologic joint preservation in Florida : These treatment specialties are available if Florida from orthopedic surgeon Dr. Frank McCormick. To learn more about what is biologic joint preservation, or to schedule an appointment, call Dr. McCormick today, at 1-844-LESS-DOCS. He has offices in Miami, Palm Beach, and Orlando.