Cartilage can be repaired by stimulating the bone to repair itself.
Microfracture: A Cartilage Repair Technique
One method to repair damaged articular cartilage involves a surgical procedure called microfracture. Here's how it works:
- Drilling Holes: The surgeon drills small holes into the bone and bone marrow beneath the damaged articular cartilage.
- Stimulating Repair: These holes trigger the bone to repair itself.
- Marrow Cell Activation: Cells from the bone marrow are released and migrate to the damaged area.
- Fibrocartilage Formation: These cells repair the damaged cartilage. However, the newly formed cartilage tissue is fibrocartilage, which is not as durable or resilient as the original hyaline cartilage.
| Procedure | Description | Resulting Cartilage Type |
|---|---|---|
| Microfracture | Drilling small holes to stimulate bone marrow cells to repair damaged cartilage. | Fibrocartilage |
While microfracture can provide pain relief and improved function, it's important to understand that the repair tissue is fibrocartilage, which differs from the original articular cartilage.
