From Mosaicplasty to Cartilage Cell Transplantation: how damaged cartilage can be restored
Persistent pain in the knee, ankle, or hip is often caused by damage to the articular cartilage. Articular cartilage is a unique tissue: it is exceptionally resilient, yet its ability to regenerate is very limited. Once it is significantly damaged, the body can restore it only to a limited extent. A few decades ago, treatment options for larger cartilage defects were still very limited, and for most of patients, joint replacement ultimately represented the only long-term solution.