AUTOLOGOUS
CHONDROCYTE IMPLANTATION

Our Process

Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI) is a procedure suitable for larger cartilage defects in the knee (larger than 2 by 3 cm). It is a procedure that has been performed for nearly 20 years and involves taking a biopsy of patient cartilage, growing and culturing your own cartilage cells in a lab, and then re-implanting new cartilage to the defect around 6 weeks later. NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) approved ACI as a procedure that can be performed on the NHS in October 2017. ACI is suitable in those patients with large cartilage defects (more than 2 by 3 cm) and with no arthritis in the knee. Those patients with smaller defects would be suitable for micro-fracture or other regenerative procedures (e.g. concentrated cells with a scaffold).

Timeline

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STEP 1

Following a consultation with Mr Datta, you will be given a date for surgery.

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STEP 2

You will be called by one of our nursing staff who will conduct a pre-assessment within 2 weeks of your surgery for blood tests and a medical examination

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STEP 3

After being deemed suitable for the procedure (this is done following an MRI scan and consultation), an arthroscopy is performed as a day-case procedure and a small piece of cartilage is removed from a non-weight bearing part of the knee.

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STEP 4

This is sent to a cartilage laboratory and cells are cultured (grown) over a 4-6 week period. Once a large number of cells have been grown, these are returned to the hospital on the planned day of surgery.

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STEP 5

The second operation is via an open approach and the cells are implanted onto the cartilage defect. Cells can be implanted onto a scaffold to cover the defect, or a membrane is stitched around the defect and the cells are injected into the membrane. The second procedure involves an overnight stay in hospital and you are placed in a brace for 6 weeks (partially weight bearing).

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STEP 6

Full recovery is 3 – 6 months and intensive physiotherapy is required to restore the normal movement and muscle function.

Treatment Options

Hip/Knee Surgery’s

Please contact us to be provided with a bespoke quotation for self pay patients

CONTACT US

frequently asked questions

What are the outcomes?
ACI has an overall 5 year success rate of around 60-70%. It has the best outcomes for all regenerative procedures in the knee.
How long till I can play sports again?
We would suggest returning to light sports activities after around 6 months and a return to full sports between 9 and 12 months post surgery. These are estimated times based on the individuals recovery.
What are the risks to surgery?
Scar tissue formation can be a complication of ACI, other complications such as infection and stiffness along with graft failure can occur.