IGEA Brain, Spine & Orthopedics is an award-winning orthopedic hospital with locations throughout New York and New Jersey. Our in-house surgeon specializes in treating knee injuries and torn cartilage through advanced treatments. We offer physical therapy, minimally invasive surgery, and more to help you achieve a more effective recovery.
Your cartilage is a strong, flexible tissue located throughout the body for various purposes. The most common type, articular cartilage, is found in and around the skeletal joints, covering the surfaces of bones where they connect to the joint. This covering fills a crucial set of roles, including:
Cartilage is a tough tissue, but it wears down over time. Certain diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis, contribute to the gradual breakdown. Worn-down cartilage is weak and vulnerable to injury from sports, work, sudden falls, and the like. Patients should visit IGEA Brain, Spine & Orthopedics as soon as they experience symptoms, which can include:
Cartilage injuries often start small, but they can quickly worsen into more severe issues if left untreated, making it important to seek immediate treatment. At IGEA Brain, Spine & Orthopedics, we offer a variety of surgical options that treat cartilage injuries and can get you on the path to healing. Many of them can be performed in a minimally invasive manner and include:
Our surgeon will drill tiny holes in the bone underneath the cartilage. These holes stimulate healing by allowing more blood to reach the cartilage.
This aims to help new tissue grow by creating holes in the bone, similarly to microfracture knee surgery.
We use a different tool, called a burr, to remove damaged cartilage while puncturing the bone.
This procedure removes healthy cartilage from a non-weight-bearing joint, using it to grow new cells to implant into the damaged area.
Surgeons transplant a graft of tissue from a non-weight-bearing area directly into the damaged space, leaving behind a smooth surface.
When injured areas are too large to repair with a graft from the patient’s body, surgeons can use a sterilized and tested graft from a cadaver.
Patient recovery time is dependent on the specific procedure, the patient’s age, and their current health status. Talk with your doctor before the procedure to make sure you know what to expect after surgery.
If you or your loved one has recently sustained a cartilage injury, get in touch with IGEA Brain, Spine & Orthopedics, which is based in New Jersey and New York and serves the tri-state area. We’re an award-winning facility using cutting-edge technology to treat brain, spine, neurological, and other specialized conditions. Contact us to schedule an appointment today and begin your treatment and recovery.