Joint replacement therapy

jooms

Joint replacement seem to be the conventional approach although other methods such as stem cells, cartilage transplant, and microfracture are mentioned. Is the NHS or private hospitals trying these alternative treatments and to what success?

dreamdaisy

We have had at least two people I can recall in my years on here who tried stem cell and cartilage to no success whatsoever. I think one splurged thousands on going to the States for treatment.

OA is incredibly common, lacks glamour as a health condition thus lacks any sense of urgency in its treatment. It is fundamentally mechanical in its root, associated with the body wearing out because that is what it does and always will. Arthritis is erroneously associated with the elderly, our culture worships at the altar of youth and vitality. DD

stickywicket

My guess is that it's with little success and therefore not using them much.

I remember the guy on here who went to USA more than once for stem cell treatment which served only to lighten his wallet.

As for the other two - here are some former threads:

https://arthritiscareforum.org.uk/search.php?keywords=cartilage+transplant&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=all&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

https://arthritiscareforum.org.uk/search.php?keywords=microfracture&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=all&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search