Articular Cartilage Restoration & MACI Procedure
Articular cartilage restoration and MACI procedures to repair joint surfaces and delay arthritis. Orthopedic care in Port St. Lucie & Palm Beach Gardens.
Why doesn’t cartilage heal on its own?
Because it has almost no blood supply. Nearly every other tissue in the body repairs itself through circulation; cartilage does not get that, so a defect tends to stay a defect — and then spread, taking pain, swelling and eventually arthritis with it. Restoration means giving the joint a surface again. That might be microfracture, an osteochondral graft, or MACI, where your own cartilage cells are taken, grown in a laboratory over several weeks, and then implanted on a membrane into the defect. Which one suits you depends on how large the defect is, how much arthritis is already present, how your leg is aligned, and what you need the knee to do afterwards — which is why it starts with an MRI and a proper mapping of the damage. The rehabilitation is deliberately patient. New cartilage has to be loaded gradually or it will not survive.
What we treat
Focal Articular Cartilage Defects
A single defined area of damage, causing pain and catching.
Chondral Flap or Delamination Injury
Cartilage lifting or peeling away from the bone beneath it.
Osteochondral Defects (OCD Lesions)
Damage running through cartilage into the bone below — common in active patients.
Cartilage Wear from Previous Knee Trauma
Wear traceable to an old injury or a knee that was unstable for years.
Cartilage Damage Associated with ACL or Meniscus Injury
Surface damage that arrived alongside an ACL or meniscus injury.
Post-Microfracture Cartilage Failure
Symptoms that returned after an earlier microfracture.
Patellofemoral Cartilage Loss
Loss behind the kneecap, felt as pain at the front of the knee.
Trochlear Groove Cartilage Damage
Damage in the groove the kneecap runs through, which upsets its tracking.
What restoration is for
- A joint surface to move on again
- Less pain, swelling and irritation when you use the knee
- Your own knee kept working for longer
- The slide toward arthritis slowed
- Load spread properly across the joint instead of concentrating
- Movement back, including higher-demand activity
- With MACI, new cartilage grown from your own cells
- Rehabilitation written to protect the repair while it takes
- A return-to-sport progression grounded in evidence
- Natural joint mechanics restored, and built to last
Come in, get a straight answer about what is wrong, and leave knowing what happens next.
FAQ
Common Patient Questions
Your own cartilage cells are harvested, grown in a laboratory over several weeks, then implanted on a membrane into the defect, where they go on to form new cartilage.
It works best where the damage is one defined area rather than widespread wear, arthritis is limited, and the patient is active enough to make preserving the joint worthwhile.
Deliberately slow — six to twelve months depending on the size of the repair. New cartilage has to be loaded gradually or it will not survive.
Yes. Weight has to be kept off it early on while the repair takes hold.
That is much of the point. Keeping your own joint surface working can push a replacement years down the road, or make it unnecessary.
They answer different problems. Restoration suits a focal defect in a knee worth preserving; replacement suits a joint that is worn out. For the right candidate, restoration keeps the natural knee — which is always the better outcome when it is on the table.
Yes, and it matters more here than almost anywhere. The repair only holds if it is loaded correctly as it matures.
Related
You may also be interested in
ACL Reconstruction
ACL Reconstruction →Meniscus Repair
Meniscus Repair →Knee Ligament Reconstructions
Knee Ligament Reconstructions →Where You’d Be Seen
Cartilage restoration and MACI in Port St. Lucie & Palm Beach Gardens
This is offered at both locations — our orthopedic office in Port St. Lucie (1100 SW St. Lucie West Blvd., Ste. 105) and our orthopedic office in Palm Beach Gardens (11380 Prosperity Farms Rd, Ste 204). Patients travel in from Stuart, Jensen Beach, Fort Pierce, Jupiter, North Palm Beach and West Palm Beach — see every area we serve, or call 561-202-8886.