There is a narrow window in the life of a damaged knee — after the cartilage has been injured, but before the joint has become arthritic. Inside that window, the damage can often be repaired. Outside it, the only remaining option is replacement.
Cartilage surgery in Faridabad exists to keep patients inside that window. It is most relevant to people in their twenties, thirties and forties who have a focal area of damage, usually from an injury, in a knee that is otherwise healthy.
Dr. Sunil Choudhary, FRCS (Trauma & Orthopaedics). Cartilage repair with regenerative techniques was part of my UK fellowship training in lower-limb reconstruction.
Why articular cartilage does not repair itself
Articular cartilage is the glassy white surface covering the ends of bones inside a joint. It is extraordinarily smooth — close to frictionless — and it allows the knee to move millions of times without wear.
It also has no blood supply and no nerve supply. That is why cartilage damage often causes no pain initially, and why it cannot heal the way bone or skin does. Left alone, a defect gradually enlarges as the exposed edges break down, and eventually becomes generalised arthritis.
How cartilage gets damaged
- Traumatic injury — a direct blow, a twisting injury, or a patellar dislocation shearing off a fragment of cartilage
- Alongside ligament injury — commonly found with ACL reconstruction injuries
- Osteochondritis dissecans — a segment of bone and overlying cartilage loses its blood supply, typically in adolescents and young adults
- Overload from malalignment — bow legs or knock knees concentrating force on one compartment
- After meniscus loss — the cartilage underneath takes pressure it was never designed for
Symptoms of a cartilage defect
- Pain localised to one part of the knee, worse on loading and on stairs
- Swelling after activity
- Catching or a sensation of something loose inside the joint
- Occasional locking if a fragment has detached
- Frequently, very few symptoms at first — which is why these defects are often found incidentally during surgery for something else
How we assess cartilage damage
Standard X-rays do not show cartilage, only the space it occupies. MRI with cartilage-specific sequences is the main investigation, defining the size, depth and location of the defect and checking the bone underneath. A full-length standing alignment X-ray is also essential — for reasons explained below.
Cartilage repair options
As the best cartilage surgery doctor in Faridabad would approach it, technique selection depends on the size and depth of the defect, its location, the age of the patient and the state of the bone beneath.
Microfracture
Small perforations are made in the bone beneath the defect, allowing marrow cells to enter and form a repair tissue. Best suited to small defects, typically under 2 square centimetres. It is quick and inexpensive, but the tissue formed is fibrocartilage, which is mechanically inferior to the original and can deteriorate over several years.
Osteochondral autograft transfer (OATS / mosaicplasty)
Cylindrical plugs of bone and overlying cartilage are taken from a low-load area of the same knee and transferred into the defect. This restores genuine articular cartilage rather than fibrocartilage. Suited to small and medium defects, limited by how much donor tissue is available.
Cartilage cell implantation (ACI / MACI)
A two-stage procedure. Cartilage cells are harvested from the patient, grown in a laboratory over several weeks, then implanted into the defect on a membrane. Suited to larger defects, with good long-term durability. Availability and cost are the limiting factors in India.
Osteochondral allograft
Donor bone and cartilage used for large defects, particularly where the bone beneath is also damaged, as in advanced osteochondritis dissecans.
The step most often skipped — and why repairs fail without it
A cartilage repair performed in a knee that is malaligned, unstable or missing its meniscus will fail. The same mechanical overload that destroyed the original cartilage will destroy the repair tissue, which is biologically weaker.
So cartilage surgery is frequently combined with realignment osteotomy to unload the repaired area, with meniscus repair to restore load distribution, or with ligament reconstruction to restore stability. If a surgeon offers you a cartilage procedure without assessing your alignment on a full-length standing film, ask why.
Recovery after cartilage surgery
Recovery is slower than most knee procedures, because repair tissue needs protected loading to mature. Typically: partial or protected weight-bearing for six weeks, continuous passive motion or early controlled movement to nourish the repair, progressive loading from six to twelve weeks, return to running at around six months, and return to impact sport at nine to twelve months.
It demands patience. The reward is keeping your own joint.
Cost of Best Cartilage Surgery Treatment in Faridabad
The price associated with cartilage reconstruction in Faridabad differs based on the procedure, the complexity of the injury, and the hospitalization needs. Our clinic guarantees transparency in pricing, with no cost-cutting or hidden charges. We also provide full assistance with insurance and reimbursement options. He provide best cartilage surgery treatment in Faridabad.
Make an appointment for one of the best cartilage surgery surgeons in Faridabad
Cartilage injuries shouldn’t hinder your daily activities. With advanced reconstructive techniques and the expert guidance of Dr. Sunil Choudhary. You can begin the journey to living a pain-free and active lifestyle.
If you’re in search of one of the best cartilage surgery surgeon in Faridabad, contact us now to schedule your appointment. Our clinic can provide customized.
Rely on Dr. Sunil Choudhary’s Expertise: Experience the transformative potential of Knee Cartilage Reconstruction under the guidance of Dr. Sunil Choudhary. With his expertise, you can regain knee health, mobility, and an improved quality of life.
Frequently asked questions
Can damaged knee cartilage grow back?
Not spontaneously. Articular cartilage has no blood supply and no capacity for meaningful self-repair. Surgical techniques either stimulate a substitute repair tissue or transplant genuine cartilage in.
Is cartilage surgery the same as a knee replacement?
No, and the distinction matters. Cartilage surgery repairs a focal defect in an otherwise healthy joint. Knee replacement resurfaces a joint that is worn out throughout. Cartilage surgery is for one hole in the floor; replacement is for a floor that has worn through everywhere.
Am I too old for cartilage repair?
Results are better in younger patients, and the technique is generally considered up to around the mid-fifties in a knee without established arthritis. Beyond that, the surrounding cartilage is usually too worn for a focal repair to help.
What happens if I do nothing?
Some small defects stay stable for years. Larger ones tend to enlarge as the edges break down, and progress towards arthritis — at which point repair is no longer an option. This is why early assessment is worthwhile even when symptoms are mild.
Where is cartilage surgery performed in Faridabad?
At the Asian Institute of Medical Sciences, Sector 21A, with assessment at the Bone & Joints Clinic, Sector 42 — the cartilage surgery clinic in Faridabad for arthroscopic and regenerative cartilage procedures.
