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Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre
Suite #11-13/14/15, 3 Mount Elizabeth
Singapore 228510
Tel: (65) 6738 2628
Fax: (65) 6738 2629
Parkway East Medical Centre
Suite #03-05, 319 Joo Chiat Place
Singapore 427989
Tel: (65) 6348 2605
Fax: (65) 6348 2606
Cartilage Transplantation
Case 1:
Mr. KS is a 51 year male who had led an active life. He was previously an athlete and used to represent the country in athletics. He presented with left knee pain of long standing duration. This was worsened by activity and was associated with recurrent swelling of the knee. A MRI of the knee showed cartilage damage in the left knee.
Initially he opted for arthroscopy and microfracture of the cartilage lesion. Unfortunately this procedure only provided temporary relief from the pain. His symptoms worsened and he had problems with daily activity especially when using the stairs
Figure 1. Left Knee Trochlear Cartilage Defect
Figure 1 shows the cartilage defect in the trohlear. He underwent arthroscopy 2 weeks before the cartilage transplantation at which time a small amount of cartilage was harvested from the knee to be grown in the lab.
The cartilage cells ( chondrocyctes ) are grown in a gel medium as shown in figure 2.
Figure 2. Chondrocytes embedded in gel
He underwent cartilage transplantation with the newer second generation techniques and made an uneventful recovery. The gel in which the chondrocytes are embed was cut to shape and glued down to the defect as shown in figure 3. He was walking without aid and driving in 4 weeks and the pain had completely resolved. The patient’s post operative pictures at 4 weeks are shown in figures 4 and 5. 
Figure 3. Transplanted Chondrocytes in to defect
Figure 4. Full extension after 4 weeks
Figure 5. Full Flexion after 4 weeks