Treatment of symptomatic cartilage injuries can be complex. There are many treatment modalities available (see website). With the advent of new NICE (clinical guidelines) we are now available under strict circumstances to apply to provide cell therapy. Cell therapy is not a new concept and first generation techniques have been around now for over 30 years. Mr Guy had the distinct pleasure of meeting one of the pioneers of cell therapy, Prof Mats Brittberg from the University of Gothenburg at a cartilage meeting in London.

Cell therapy is the process whereby cartilage cells are harvested from the knee with keyhole surgery (biopsy). The cells are then processed in a lab increasing the number of cartilage cells and then approximately 4-6 weeks after harvesting they are ‘seeded’ inside a knee during further surgery.

A seminal article in the New England Journal of Medicine by Prof Brittberg can be found here about treating cartilage defects. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejm199410063311401