Knee cartilage repair surgery
An effective and reliable treatment
Knee articulate cartilage repair is a reliable solution for patients who want relief from the discomfort caused by the following symptoms: gnawing ache or pain in the knee joint, “crunching” sound, “locked” sensation and swelling. The surgery is also recommended for osteoarthrosis sufferers (also called arthrosis, osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease), which manifests itself in damage to the articulate cartilage, the surrounding soft tissue and the bones.
We offer the following treatment options for conditions involving damaged cartilage: medicines, kinesiotherapy, physiotherapy, injections (corticosteroid, hyaluronic acid, PRGF, nStride, stem cell therapy). When none of the above work, or when the damage to the cartilage is extensive, surgical treatment is recommended.
The knee cartilage repair surgery performed at our Centre uses the most advanced techniques: spongialization + covering with coagulated plasma (we are the only centre in Lithuania performing this unique cartilage restoration surgery!), scaffold, membrane assisted surgery, which we perform most frequently, arthroscopic surgery, arthroscopic microfracture surgery, natural cartilage repair – Matrix-Induced Chondrocyte Implantation (MACI), autologous osteochondral transplantation/mosaicplasty, mesenchymal stem cell treatment.
A number of factors determine which cartilage repair method is the most suitable for each individual case. If the pain has been bothering you for several weeks or more, make sure you get an appointment to see your doctor. Any delay may limit the choice of the possible treatment options.
Knee cartilage repair surgery price
What factors affect the price?
The prices indicated below apply to citizens of the Republic of Lithuania and the European Union.
If you are coming from another country please check the price by telephoning or sending an email.
What you need to know about surgery?
Spongialization technique for knee cartilage repair (covering with coagulated plasma) is the standard arthroscopic surgery. The optical devices are inserted through small incisions, the joints are examined from the inside and the damage to the cartilage, including the size of the affected area, are assessed.
The patient’s own blood is prepared and processed, it is separated out to create platelet and growth factor rich plasma which is then combined with the healthy cartilage fragments and coagulated using a special method. A solid plasma and cartilage mixture transplant is then attached to the defected area of the cartilage.
If the area of the damage is not extensive, i.e. only a few cm2, the surgery is minimally invasive and is performed through small incisions. If the damage to the cartilage is extensive, a 5-7 cm incision is made to allow for the defected area to be properly covered. No additional membranes or synthetic gels are used for this purpose.
The surgery takes about one hour and we are the only centre in Lithuania that performs it!
Scaffold, membrane assisted surgery is the most common surgery. Scaffolds and membranes are natural polymers, collagen, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin-6-sulfate, silk fibroin. These are biologically active substances, that encourage cell adhesion and growth. During the surgery, one of these membranes is transferred to the joint and attached to the healthy cartilage. New healthy cartilage cells start being produced and the damaged cartilage tissue is restored.
Arthroscopic surgery is suitable for patients who have been diagnosed with grade 1-2 chondromalacia with small cartilage defects, and grade 3-4 osteoarthrosis. The damaged cartilage, loose bodies etc. are removed during the operation.
Arthroscopic microfracture surgery can be performed on small – 1-2 cm2 cartilage defects.
During the surgery, multiple holes, or microfractures are made, the bone marrow cells and blood from the holes combine to form a clot, which is rich in protein and specific cells that are able to regenerate. It is used to cover the defective area. A healthy hyaline cartilage forms in approximately 4 months.
Matrix-Induced Chondrocyte Implantation (MACI) is a natural method that can regrow the cartilage. During the surgery a small sample is taken from the patient’s healthy cartilage, which is then transported to laboratories in Germany. The cultivated cartilage is implanted in the defective area. It is a two-step procedure which is not performed very frequently as we prefer not to perform more interventions than necessary.
Autologous osteochondral transplantation/mosaicplasty is performed when osteochondral damage is <4 cm2. It is suitable for young and active patients.
During the surgery, the damaged cartilage is replaced with osteochondral allograft or autologous transplant. 
Mesenchymal stem cell treatment
The Lipogems technology is used to obtain stem cells from the patient’s bone marrow or fat tissue, and these are then injected into the damaged area of the articular cartilage. This aids the regeneration of the cartilage.
4 reasons
for choosing us
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We can perform the required tests and confirm the diagnosis in 1 day.
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Surgery can be performed within 2-3 weeks after the consultation. You can travel by plane the day after the surgery.
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Surgeries are performed by one of the most experienced surgeons in Lithuania.
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Hospital acquired infection rate – 0 in 5 years.
