Small defect in
knee(bottom right small circle) repaired with cartilage/bone plug from just to the left of
the center of the knee By definition, a joint is where different bones come
together capable of varying degrees of motion. Certain joints such as the shoulder or knee
have high amounts of motion associated with them. Others such as the bones of the spine,
have comparatively small amounts of motion available to them. In the knee, some parts
where the bones meet have a high amount of contact area and therefore strong forces
applied to them. When these parts lose their smooth articular cartilage surface, then pain
can be constant. Other parts of the knee joint have little contact with other surfaces and
can be used to transfer good cartilage with a plug of underlying bone to a more important
early arthritic weight-bearing section.
Small defect in
knee(bottom right small circle) repaired with cartilage/bone plug from just to the left of
the center of the knee
Large defect in knee (bottom right) repaired
with cartilage/bone plugs from just to the left of the center of the knee
The series of pictures below demonstrates an isolated deep defect located in a knee which was grafted by one large plug taken from just to the left of the center of the knee. This case is similar to the first diagram seen above.
Probe coming from 4 o'clock demonstrating cartilage defect. Not well visualized
in this picture was that problem goes all the way down to underlying bone.
Probe coming from 4 o'clock going to center of
the knee. It is from just opposite to this probe that cartilage/bone plug will be
harvested (in the next picture) for transfer to the arthritic spot.
Closer view of the center of the knee after
the bone/cartilage plug was harvested to use in problem area seen in the first picture
The area seen in the first picture after a
plug of worn out cartilage and bone was removed to make room for the good cartilage/bone
plug which was harvested in the picture above
Final picture showing the new cartilage/bone
plug after it has been "plugged in" to the area that had the worn out cartilage
Return to Top Cartilage Regeneration Page
Last updated 1/17/09