Cartilage is a tissue that lines the ends of our bones. It helps
joints move smoothly. If cartilage is damaged or worn away, the
joint may wear away, and cause pain and limited motion. This
condition is called osteoarthritis or degenerative joint
disease. Cartilage is one of the few tissues in the body that
does not quickly heal after injury. Thats why researchers have
been trying for decades to perfect techniques to repair or
replace damaged cartilage. Unfortunately, the going has been
slow. But there is a procedure that can help certain patients.
During chondrocyte grafting the cells that make cartilage are
harvested from a patient and grown outside the body for a period
of time. Then they are applied directly on the area of missing
cartilage. This procedure is usually successful in younger
people with a small area of injured cartilage. Nearly all of
these procedures are done on an injured knee. Thats because it
is a large joint that can be easily accessed with an arthroscope
(an instrument used to look ins