Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation Joint Preservation Treatment
When the cartilage in the joints is damaged, it cannot repair itself. Instead, it continues to wear down from joint movement, becoming thinner and resulting in less protection for the bones in the joint. While cartilage cannot repair itself on its own, there are treatments that are used to repair cartilage and slow joint damage. Our orthopedic joint specialists at DOCS Health offer autologous chondrocyte implantation joint preservation treatment at our medical center in Los Angeles.
Even though cartilage does not repair on its own, there are cartilage cells that can regenerate. These cells are called chondrocytes, and they exist in the joints but need to be stimulated to multiply. Autologous chondrocyte implantation, or ACI, is a joint preservation treatment that harvests chondrocytes from a patient’s own cartilage and grows new cartilage in a lab. Then, the new cartilage is implanted into the joint that has cartilage damage, replacing worn or lost cartilage.
Benefits of ACI Joint Surgery
ACI joint surgery uses your cartilage cells to grow new cartilage. Since the cartilage is made from your own cells, there isn’t a risk of rejection or allergic reaction. The chondrocyte cells are harvested through a small incision using arthroscopy. The chondrocytes are cultured to multiply for several weeks before the tissue can be implanted into the joint, where the cells continue to grow and provide new cartilage for the joint.
ACI is commonly used in the knee joint, but it can be used for joint preservation on other joints. This can be especially beneficial for young patients that sustain cartilage damage and want to prevent or delay arthritis or joint deterioration.
There have been incredible advancements made in joint preservation treatments. If you have joint or cartilage damage and want to explore medical treatments to protect your joints, contact us at DOCS Health. We offer ACI and many other joint preservation treatments at our orthopedic clinic in Los Angeles.
Medically reviewed by Parham Yashar, M.D., FACS on
Doctors who treat this condition
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Joe Cooper, MD
Robotic joint replacement, sports medicine
View profile: Joe Cooper, MD -
Farzin Kabaei, MD
Robotic hip and knee replacement, trauma
View profile: Farzin Kabaei, MD -
Jason Snibbe, MD
Robotic joint reconstruction, sports medicine
View profile: Jason Snibbe, MD
Unless otherwise indicated, the physician is a member of DOCS Health Medical Group and has medical staff privileges at DOCS Surgery Center, DOCS Surgical Hospital, or both. Physicians denoted with an asterisk (*) are independent physicians who are not part of DOCS Health Medical Group, but do have medical staff privileges at DOCS Surgery Center, DOCS Surgical Hospital, or both.
