This repairs damaged articular cartilage in your knee. That's a type of cartilage that covers and protects the ends of your bones. Repairing it helps you stay active. This surgery requires two procedures done several weeks apart.
The first procedure collects a sample of your healthy cartilage tissue. To begin, you are put to sleep. One or more small openings are made in your knee. One is for an arthroscope. That's a tube-like device with a video camera and light. The surgeon uses the arthroscope and tiny instruments to take a small sample of healthy cartilage from the joint.
The cartilage sample is sent to a laboratory. It is cultured to grow more cartilage cells. This takes several weeks.
After the new cartilage cells are sent to your surgeon, you come back for the second procedure. You are put to sleep. An incision is made in your knee. The surgeon removes any loose or damaged cartilage from your joint. Then, the surgeon secures a small patch made of collagen over the bad spot in your cartilage. The new cartilage cells are injected beneath this patch. They will grow and bond with your knee to form a new layer of cartilage.
After the surgery, you are watched in a recovery room as you wake up. Your surgeon will tell you when you can go home. Follow your surgeon's advice for a safe recovery.