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Hopkins Health
ASK THE DOCTOR: James Wenz, M.D., Orthopaedic Surgeon
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| Orthopaedic surgeon James Wenz uses a model of a knee to explain the cartilage transplant procedure he performs to relieve knee pain. |
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Question: What treatment options are there for patients with damage to cartilage in their knees?
Dr. Wenz: Until recently the only choice was conventional surgery, which provided only temporary pain relief. In about 60 percent of those cases, patients needed additional surgery within five years. But now we’re offering cartilage transplants, which provide pain relief to about 80 percent of patients without the need for additional operations.
Question: Cartilage transplants?
Dr. Wenz: Yes. When cartilage is damaged it cannot heal itself. So we take cartilage cells from the patient, harvest new cells from them and then re-implant them into the knee. It works. Patients are more active without the knee pain.
Question: How about arthritic hips? Anything new in that area?
Dr. Wenz: Well, unfortunately the only option for many patients with severe osteoarthritis is hip replacement surgery, which can mean a long and painful rehabilitation. But we’ve developed a new mini-incision technique, which means a faster, less-painful recovery.
Question: Mini-incision?
Dr. Wenz: Yes, it’s about 3 inches (7 cm) rather than the foot-long (30 cm) incision made in conventional hip replacement. And because we don’t have to cut as much tissue and muscle, there’s less healing required. In the traditional approach, patients have to use walkers or crutches for 12 weeks or longer because of the pain. With this technique, most of my patients can put their full weight on their hip the next day.
This column is not intended to provide advice on personal medical matters, or to substitute for consultation with a physician.
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