Mission
The mission of the Cartilage Restoration Center at Euclid Hospital is to promote healthy joints by restoring and preserving movement and function, preventing further joint destruction and thereby improving patients’ quality of life.

The Cartilage Restoration Center offers:

• a comprehensive program for the restoration of cartilage in all major joints
• well respected Cleveland Clinic physicians and a caring, committed staff
• the latest in medical technology 
• nutrition, exercise and physical therapy services 
• a convenient location in a beautiful setting along the shores of Lake Erie

What is cartilage?
Cartilage is dense connective tissue found in many places in the body, including the joints, rib cage, ear, nose, bronchial tubes and back discs. In the joints, it covers the ends of bones where they come in contact with each other and provides a smooth, gliding surface on which bones can move.

What happens when cartilage is lost?
Cartilage can be damaged or lost when people suffer an injury or develop arthritis, a disease that affects tissues of the joints and can lead to pain and loss of movement. When there is minimal or no cartilage in a joint, the bones can rub together. This painful situation limits a person’s ability to move their joints freely. Obviously, their quality of life deteriorates.

Why is cartilage restoration needed?
The need for a Cartilage Restoration Center is underscored by the fact that cases of arthritis in America are growing dramatically – especially among active baby boomers. According to a broad-reaching study conducted by the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, arthritis is among the most prevalent diseases in the United States and the most frequent cause of disability.

In 1990, an estimated 35 million people were affected by arthritis, and that number is expected to increase to 60 million people by 2020, with the activities of 11.6 million people limited by arthritis. Given these statistics, many experts are promoting the wider use of interventions that may reduce the occurrence and progression of the disease.

On a local basis, at least 80% of the cases seen at the Cleveland Clinic Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Euclid Hospital are related to arthritis or damage to the cartilage. The majority of the other cases are due to injuries.

Can cartilage loss be reversed?
Yes! Although the body cannot repair or replace cartilage on its own, you don’t have to live with the pain and debilitating consequences of cartilage loss. A select group of orthopaedic surgeons, such as the ones at Euclid Hospital, are skilled in the art of cartilage restoration techniques that preserve, repair and replace cartilage.

How is cartilage restored?
The technique used for restoring cartilage depends on a person’s age and the extent of cartilage damage. Cartilage restoration techniques include:

• Implantation. During this procedure, healthy cartilage cells are removed (or “harvested”) from a patient’s joint and then cultivated at a laboratory, where they grow and multiply. The new, healthy cells are implanted in the area of the body where cartilage loss has occurred. This is called autologous chondrocyte implantation. 
• Autografting. This involves harvesting a plug of bone and healthy cartilage from one part of the body and transplanting it in the damaged joint. The procedure is called osteochondral autografting. 
• Allografting. Reserved for larger injuries, this procedure involves using a cartilage graft from a donor source. Its technical term is osteochondral allografting. 
• Meniscus transplantation. Using donor cartilage, surgeons replace the meniscus, which is a specific part of the cartilage of the knee. 
• Articular cartilage repair. During this arthroscopic (using a tiny camera that is inserted through a very small incision into the joint) procedure, surgeons use pins or screws to reattach loose cartilage. 
• Microfracture. When performing microfractures, surgeons drill tiny holes in the bone to stimulate new cartilage growth. 
• Meniscus repair. Surgeons repair damaged or torn meniscuses arthroscopically by suturing them.

What if my arthritis is really bad?
For cases in which advanced arthritis has caused extensive damage, it may not be possible to restore cartilage using the above techniques. In these situations, an orthopaedic specialist may recommend alternative ways to restore cartilage. These may include:

• Viscosupplementation – injecting the joint with a special lubricating material that eases pain and restores movement
• Osteotomy – adding or removing a piece of bone to realign the joint and take pressure off the damaged portion 
• Partial joint replacement – reconstructing the damaged part of the joint to delay or avoid the need for a total joint replacement 
• Total joint replacement – reconstructing the entire joint for the most long-lasting and effective solution to advanced arthritis