Kerala - Kochi

Artificial cartilage transplant done on patient

KOCHI: An artificial cartilage transplant has been carried out on a young man diagnosed with a form of arthritis called osteochondritis dessicans.

The disease, which caused cartilage damage, left the man in severe pain. For the patient, who was a mason, the pain in his knee affected his life.

Dr. John Thayyil, joint replacement and sports injury consultant at Lourdes Hospital, said keyhole diagnostic methods called the knee joint arthroscopy helped diagnose the disease. The artificial cartilage transplant provided a less invasive, cost-effective alternative to other treatments.

According to Dr. Thayyil, the reasons for cartilage damage could be either post-traumatic or idiopathic (unknown reason).

The artificial cartilage provides the patients a solution without exposing them to the risk of rejection as in the case of using tissue of human or animal origin.

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