KNEE
Cartilage damage of the knee joint:
The bone parts in the joint are covered by cartilage. This smooth, firm and elastic layer ensures that the joint can be moved easily and without friction. When this layer is damaged, it is known as cartilage damage (chondropathy), which is classified by 1 to 4 degrees.
Causes:
In most cases, accident-related injuries with a severe load introduction to the knee joint trigger for early cartilage damage. In addition, as a succession of defects or previous joint diseases such as rheumatism, bleeding disorders of the bone or expired infections.
Therapy options:
Moderately pronounced changes (early stages of Knee arthritis) can be treated very well with intraarticular hyaluronic injections. The injected hyaluronic acid returns the lost viscosity to the articular fluid. The hyaluronic acid is responsible for the lubricating consistency of the synovial fluid. The hyaluronic acid has a similar function as the oil in the engine and transmission of a car.
Cartilaginous stenosis, tapping and cartilaginous bone transplants are possible with moderate cartilage damage. With minimally invasive arthroscopic operations cartilage treatment will be carried out specifically.
In the case of high-grade cartilage damage and complete cartilage damage, often only the endoprosthetic replacement of the knee joint (total knee replacement or hemiarthroplasty of the knee) remains.