Loss of the cartilage that covers a joint may occur for a number of reasons including injury, aging and certain disorders of the bones themselves. Once the lining surface cartilage (known as “articular cartilage”) is gone, the bones inside the joints are unprotected from stress. This leads to pain with activity.

Loss of articular cartilage can occur at any age and is diagnosed by physical examination, x-rays, MRI scans and sometimes even surgically looking inside the painful joint with a small TV camera called an arthroscope.

The good news is that there is treatment for loss of the joint surface cartilage. Treatment can be non-operative with medications, bracing and physical therapy. Often, however, surgery is needed to assist in restoring a shock-absorbing surface to help reduce the joint pain. Surgery can involve:
1. Stimulating the bone to form a new cartilage layer (microfracture).
2. Transplanting new plugs of bone containing cartilage into the damaged part of the joint (mosiacplasty).
3. Growing more of a person’s own normal cartilage in the laboratory and then implanting it into the damaged joint under a tissue patch sewn over the affected area (autologous chondrocyte implantation).

An orthopaedic surgeon is best suited to recommend the ideal treatment for each person since the amount and severity of cartilage loss differs among individuals as do their demands in daily life, work, and sports.