Cartilage repair treatment may prevent joint replacement

Interventions aimed at repairing and restoring the cartilage, a rubbery connective tissue that acts as a cushion between the bones of joints, may prevent osteoarthritis and ultimately the requirement of joint replacement, health experts have said. Knee or hip joint replacement surgery, known as arthroplasty, may put people at increased risk of heart attack immediately following the operation, new research published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology, showed. "Cartilage defects have a tendency to progress, leading to symptomatic osteoarthritis (OA) and ultimately resulting in the requirement of a joint replacement.

Hence, interventions aimed at repairing and restoring the cartilage is needed, especially in younger individuals,” leading cartilage scientist from Britain Professor Anan Shetty said in his keynote address at the launch of Delhi Cartilage Club (DCC) here over the weekend. "In the last two decades, there has been a flurry of interest in cartilage research. Many techniques are now being used for cartilage repair, including cartilage transplantation, either as a two-stage or a single-stage procedure," Shetty from Spire Alexandra Hospital in Kent said.

The newly launched Delhi Cartilage Club will work as a subsidiary of Indian Cartilage Society (ICS) and aims to “restore the cartilage and preserve a joint," by promoting both cartilage repair treatment and regenerative medicine, in the country. Through the activities of the club, we hope to create awareness among the doctors about the latest scientific techniques in the field of cartilage restoration and regeneration,” Raju Vaishya, Co-ordinator of Delhi Cartilage Club, said.

The experts, however, lamented that there are many barriers to the routine use of these useful cartilage restoration techniques. Lack of clear guidelines and understanding of the administrators, insurance companies and approving authorities are the primary obstacles, Raju Vaishya, President of Arthritis Care Foundation and Senior Orthopaedic & Joint Replacement Surgeon at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital here said.