More than 18 million patients visit doctors because of knee pain each year. In many cases, the pain is caused by loose, damaged or lost cartilage and may benefit from repair, replacement or restoration to alleviate pain and get the patient back to an active lifestyle.
Dr. Stephen Soffer is a board certified orthopedic surgeon who serves patients in Wyomissing, Reading and throughout Berks County, PA. He specializes in arthroscopy and the treatment of many sports-related injuries, as well as the open and arthroscopic treatment of knee, shoulder and elbow injuries. He also performs artificial joint replacement for arthritis of the knee, shoulder and hip.
Players, coaches and team owners from National Leagues (NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS) as well as semi-pro, college and high school athletes, and seniors living active lifestyles have come to rely on the vast experience of Dr. Soffer as a trusted advisor and provider when considering surgical procedures and care options.
Thanks to technological advances in high-resolution cameras and new, state-of-the-art surgical techniques, great strides have been made in accurately diagnosing and treating cartilage problems in the knee.
About Cartilage
There are two different types of cartilage in the human knee – the meniscus and the articular cartilage.
The meniscus is a cartilage disk inside the knee. One disk, called the medial meniscus, is located on the inner side of the knee, and another, called the lateral meniscus, is on the outer side. They absorb the shock or stress on another type of cartilage in the knee called the articular cartilage. Articular cartilage covers the ends of the thigh bone (femur) and the shin bone (tibia).
If your doctor has indicated that you have a cartilage “tear,” he or she was most likely referring to a torn meniscus. If you were told you have missing cartilage or a hole (defect) in your cartilage, the doctor was probably referring to the articular cartilage. These are very different situations and require different types of treatment. This article refers primarily to articular cartilage.
Articular Cartilage Injuries
Many young athletes experience articular cartilage injuries, particularly those involved in track and field sports. A piece of the cartilage can be completely torn off from the end of the bone, causing pain, swelling, and a feeling that something is loose inside the knee.
Injury can also occur from a blunt trauma, such as hitting the knee on the dashboard in a car accident, of falling directly onto the front of the knee from a height. Osteoarthritis may also cause defects or holes in the cartilage as the cartilage on the ends of the bone thins out.
Repair, Replacement or Restoration of Articular Cartilage
Today, there are several innovative arthroscopic procedures that may help repair or restore defects in articular cartilage. After a thorough examination, your doctor will explain the options and determine if you are a good candidate for surgery.
One procedure involves making small holes in the cartilage and into the bone underneath. This may encourage a type of cartilage to grow and cover the hole or defect, although the replacement cartilage may not be as long-lasting as the original cartilage. Another procedure involves grafting or transplanting cartilage to fill the hole in the cartilage.
There are some patients with articular cartilage damage that cannot be repaired, regenerated, or restored. These are usually patients who have suffered with arthritis for many years. In these cases, knee replacement surgery can often be done to relieve pain and help restore function.
If you are in the Reading, PA area, get in touch with Dr. Soffer at 610-375-4949 to find out if cartilage repair, replacement or restoration may be an option for your damaged articular cartilage, or for help with any other knee, hip, shoulder or elbow problems that are causing you pain or discomfort.
