Here’s What to Expect Before, During, and After Your Cartilage Repair or Removal Surgery

When you suffer from joint pain as an athlete, you may need to undergo cartilage repair or removal. These less invasive procedures may help you avoid joint replacement and allow you to return to your sport. 

As a former athlete, Kellie K. Middleton, MD, understands how important it is to get back to play as soon as possible. She’s an orthopedic expert and surgeon who repairs or replaces damaged cartilage at our office in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Following is a guide she prepared to help you understand what to expect when your cartilage is repaired or removed.

Before your cartilage procedure

Even though you may not need general anesthesia for your procedure, you still need to prepare your body and your home for the surgery itself and recovery afterward. Use the following checklist to make sure you’re prepared.

Give us a list of all supplements and medications

Some supplements and even herbs such as garlic and ginger may thin your blood, which could cause issues during your procedure. During your consultation, be sure to provide us with a list of all the supplements and medications you take. Even aspirin could cause a problem, so be sure to let us know everything you use.

Quit smoking

If you smoke cigarettes or vape, it’s important to stop for at least a couple of weeks before and after your procedure. Smoking can cause complications with bleeding during surgery and may also affect your anesthesia. 

Eat well and hydrate

Now’s the time to ditch the junk food and focus on whole foods, such as lean, pastured, or wild-caught proteins, healthy fats, and plenty of vegetables. The better nourished and hydrated your body is, the better it can tolerate the trauma of surgery and recovery quickly.

Stop drinking alcohol, too. Alcohol is dehydrating. Drink plenty of water and other healthy liquids every day.

Prepare for recovery

You must make after-surgery preparations before it takes place. Even though you probably only need twilight-type anesthesia, you’re groggy afterward and won’t be able to drive. Make sure you have somebody available to drive you home.

As you recover, you may need help getting around your home and performing chores. Be sure to arrange for any assistive devices and any assistance you need before your procedure.

During your cartilage procedure

The cartilage that protects your joint bones from rubbing against one another is called hyaline cartilage. It has a gel-like consistency and acts as a cushion between your joints when it's healthy.

Unfortunately, you can’t regrow hyaline cartilage. Your procedure will either repair your cartilage or remove and replace it. In both instances, you change into an operating gown. We clean the area with an antiseptic and inject an anesthetic into your joint. We may also give you a sedative.

Cartilage repair

If we’re repairing your cartilage, we may have already had you come in for a cartilage harvest procedure. We take cartilage from another area of your body and then grow the cells and seed them on a collagen membrane, which we can place in your damaged joint.

We may also use cartilage directly from another part of your body or use donated cartilage. We may also use other techniques, such as microfracture, in which we create small fractures in the joint bones so that they repair them by growing new cartilage.

Cartilage removal and replacement

In some instances, your cartilage may be too damaged to repair. In those instances, we remove the damaged cartilage and then replace it entirely with grafts. We may also create microfractures or scrape the bone to stimulate the growth of new blood vessels and cartilage.

Whether your cartilage is being repaired or removed, we help your body heal with various biologic techniques. For instance, we may use platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or ReNu® stem cell therapy to accelerate repair and healing. 

After your cartilage procedure

We give you aftercare instructions so that your body gets the support it needs to heal. Continue with a healthy diet and hydration. Don’t smoke. Avoid alcohol. 

You probably need to keep your joint in a brace and may need crutches or another assistive device for 6-8 weeks. During that time, you must undergo physical therapy and gradually build up strength and flexibility.

A full recovery can take several months. However, if you plan to return to play, you need at least six months to recover. If you’re a professional athlete, return to play may take longer.

Do you want to avoid joint replacement by undergoing cartilage repair or removal? Find out if you’re a candidate by contacting our team today by phone or online.