{"id":404,"date":"2026-07-14T09:55:19","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T09:55:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vvilla.yetinc.ch\/knee-cartilage-injuries\/"},"modified":"2026-08-17T13:18:22","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T13:18:22","slug":"knee-cartilage-injuries","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/vvilla.yetinc.ch\/en\/conditions-treated\/knee-pathologies\/knee-cartilage-injuries\/","title":{"rendered":"Knee cartilage injuries"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Knee cartilage injuries<\/h1>\n

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Knee cartilage injuries can have a significant impact on mobility and quality of life. The choice of treatment depends on many factors, including the type and severity of the injury, the patient\u2019s age, and their activity level. Arthroscopic cartilage surgery offers promising options for cartilage repair and regeneration, aiming to restore joint function and relieve the pain associated with knee injuries. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Cartilage<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Knee cartilage is a specialized connective tissue that covers the joint surfaces of bones, allowing smooth joint movement and absorbing shock. There are two main types of cartilage in the knee: <\/p>\n

Articular Cartilage<\/strong>
This smooth cartilage covers the ends of the bones that come into contact in the knee joint (femur, tibia, and patella).<\/p>\n

Meniscal Cartilage<\/strong>
Located between the femur and tibia, the menisci are crescent-shaped and play a crucial role in load distribution, shock absorption, and stability of the knee joint.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Treatments for Knee Cartilage Injuries<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Treatments depend on the nature and severity of the cartilage injury. Common approaches include: <\/p>\n

Conservative Treatment<\/strong><\/p>\n

Physiotherapy: Exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee and improve stability.
Anti-inflammatory medications: To reduce pain and inflammation.
Intra-articular injections: For example, corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid injections to relieve pain and improve mobility.<\/p>\n

Surgery<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cartilage Repair Surgery: Repair of cartilage injuries using techniques such as microfracture, mosaicplasty, or autologous chondrocyte grafting.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Cartilage Repair Surgery<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Cartilage repair surgery is a surgical procedure aimed at treating articular cartilage injuries, often performed arthroscopically.<\/p>\n

Goal of Cartilage Repair Surgery<\/strong>
The main goal of cartilage repair surgery is to restore the surface of damaged or worn articular cartilage in the knee joint (or other joints). Articular cartilage is crucial for smooth, pain-free joint movement, and restoring it can help delay or prevent the development of osteoarthritis. <\/p>\n

Common Cartilage Repair Techniques<\/strong><\/p>\n

Microfracture:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Description: This technique is used to stimulate the formation of new cartilage. The surgeon makes small perforations in the underlying bone at the site of the cartilage injury. This allows stem cells present in the bone marrow to enter the injured area and form new cartilage tissue.
Indications: It is often used to treat small cartilage lesions in well-vascularized areas where healing potential is higher. <\/p>\n

Mosaicplasty (or Osteochondral Transplantation):<\/strong><\/p>\n

Description: This technique involves harvesting small healthy cartilage-and-bone (osteochondral) grafts from a non-weight-bearing area of the knee and transplanting them into the injured area. These grafts are generally taken from the same patient.
Indications: It is suitable for treating larger lesions or specific cartilage areas where other techniques may not be effective. <\/p>\n

Autologous Chondrocyte Grafting<\/strong><\/p>\n

Description: This procedure involves harvesting healthy cartilage cells (chondrocytes) from the patient\u2019s knee, culturing them in a laboratory to multiply them, and then reimplanting them into the injured area with a biological scaffold.
Indications: It is used for extensive or deep cartilage lesions where natural cartilage regeneration is insufficient.<\/p>\n

Biological Restoration Techniques:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Description: This includes the use of biological products such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or collagen matrices to promote healing and cartilage regeneration.
Indications: They are often combined with other surgical techniques to optimize cartilage repair outcomes.<\/p>\n

Cartilage Repair Surgery Process<\/p>\n

Preparation and Anesthesia<\/strong><\/p>\n

The patient is prepared for surgery under general or regional anesthesia, depending on the surgeon\u2019s recommendations.
Access to the Joint:<\/p>\n

Small incisions are made around the knee to allow insertion of the arthroscope and surgical instruments.<\/p>\n

Assessment and Treatment<\/strong><\/p>\n

Using the arthroscope, the surgeon assesses the extent and nature of the cartilage injury.
The specific cartilage repair technique is then chosen based on the size, location, and depth of the lesion.<\/p>\n

Repair<\/strong><\/p>\n

The chosen technique is carried out to restore the cartilage surface.
Grafts are prepared and implanted into the injured area, or perforations are made to stimulate cartilage healing.<\/p>\n

Closure<\/strong><\/p>\n

The incisions are closed and a dressing is applied.<\/p>\n

Postoperative Rehabilitation<\/strong>
Rehabilitation is crucial to optimize the results of cartilage repair surgery.
It includes muscle-strengthening, flexibility, and proprioception exercises, tailored to protect the treated area while promoting cartilage healing.<\/p>\n

Expected Results<\/strong>
The results of cartilage repair surgery vary depending on many factors, including the technique used, the size and location of the lesion, the patient\u2019s age, and adherence to rehabilitation recommendations. Goals include reducing pain, improving joint function, and preventing progression of osteoarthritis. <\/p>\n

Possible Complications<\/strong>
Complications may include infections, persistent pain, nerve or vascular injury, as well as unsatisfactory results in terms of cartilage healing. The risk of complications depends on the specific procedure and the patient\u2019s overall health. <\/p>\n

In conclusion, cartilage repair surgery is a promising option for treating knee cartilage injuries, aiming to restore joint function and improve the quality of life of patients affected by these problems.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":405,"parent":464,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-404","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nKnee cartilage injuries - Dr. Vincent Villa<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Knee cartilage injuries, orthobiologic treatments and joint-preserving surgery\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/vvilla.yetinc.ch\/en\/conditions-treated\/knee-pathologies\/knee-cartilage-injuries\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Knee cartilage injuries - 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