Treating Severe Arthritis and Articular Cartilage Damage
Many people suffering from severe arthritis and major cartilage damage are told they will need artificial joint replacement surgery. Artificial joint replacement can be successful in eliminating joint pain, but prohibits impact sports and leaves patients with very limited treatment options when unsuccessful. The researchers at SRF seek minimally invasive, biologic ways to regenerate cartilage, in order to delay or avoid the need for artificial joint replacement.

The Articular Cartilage Paste Graft Study
The peer-reviewed, published 2 to 12 year follow-up study evaluated the effectiveness and long-term outcomes of Articular Cartilage Paste Grafting in 125 patients. The single-step, outpatient procedure involves harvesting the patient’s own healthy cartilage and bone from a non-weight-bearing area of the knee, crushing it into a paste, and impacting the paste into the damaged region. The graft provides a supportive matrix for autologous stem cells to repair and re-grow high-quality cartilage in injured and arthritic knees. This technique was developed by Kevin R. Stone, MD, in 1991.

Study Results
Significant long-term pain relief and restored functioning was observed in patients regardless of age or degree of arthrosis. The regenerated repair tissue was successful in 84% of patients. This procedure offers long-lasting pain relief, restored functioning, and high quality tissue repair for patients with painful cartilage damage in both arthritic and traumatically injured knees.

Why this Study is Important
Articular Cartilage Paste Grafting is now considered a leading-edge technique. Today, articular cartilage paste grafting can delay or eliminate the need for total joint replacement surgery by repairing the body's natural tissue, rather than depending on synthetic metals and plastics. The Stone Research Foundation’s goal is to make the procedure available to all patients, offering them a less invasive, less expensive surgical technique that can return people to their active lives.

Greater understanding of the composition and cellular viability of the paste graft matrix in humans will provide the basis for improvements with stem cells, growth factors, and bio adhesives. This study is actively underway. Further studies are also planned to improve the current technique.