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Replacing parts of the joint cartilage that have been damaged due to injury or arthritis. Typically, this surgery is considered in cases where significant weight bearing joints such as the knee or ankle have been impacted. Knee cartilage replacement surgery is carried out under anaesthesia. This involves an arthroscopy procedure to grant access to the affected joint. From here, a specialist will remove and replace the damaged cartilage. The aim of cartilage replacement is to restore regular movement function, protect the joint, and relieve pain.
Reviewed byProfessor Paul Lee MBBch, FRCS (Tr & Orth), PhDCartilage and joint preservation expertise
Cartilage is essential for normal joint movement throughout the body. However, after traumatic stress injury or severe ongoing degeneration, cartilage does not have the capacity to repair itself.
This can increase friction between joints because lubrication is reduced. Replacement cartilage may be used to substitute damaged or lost tissue and improve joint problems such as pain, discomfort, loss of movement, and rising osteoarthritis risk.
Seeking treatment from London Cartilage Clinic places you in the hands of leading experts in cartilage repair, regeneration, and replacement. We provide a comprehensive consultation and diagnosis so you understand all available options before receiving a tailored recommendation.
If your injury severity warrants replacement, we take the time to ensure all pre-surgical steps are handled properly. You can then choose an appointment that fits your schedule. Our objective is to minimize discomfort while striving for a high surgical success rate.
You may have more options than you think
At London Cartilage Clinic we follow a structured clinical framework across four areas of treatment. Before recommending a single procedure, we assess which combination of approaches gives you the best outcome.
Protect what you have. Slow degeneration and manage symptoms.
Fix specific damage. Torn tissue, unstable joints, structural problems.
Rebuild lost tissue. Biological treatments that stimulate new growth.
When other options are exhausted. Joint replacement as a last resort.
Explore the full range of treatments available for your joint. Each hub page shows every option we offer, organised by clinical approach.
Still have more specific concerns?
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Clinical updates, cartilage treatment guidance, and recovery-focused articles from our specialist team.
Sixty-two per cent of moderate-to-severe hip osteoarthritis patients managed conservatively through structured exercise, weight loss, and education avoid joint replacement at twelve months; for those whom this approach fails, surgery delivers markedly greater functional improvement.
ChondroFiller delivers a collagen scaffold that gels at the cartilage defect, creating a stable environment where the body's own repair cells can settle and rebuild tissue.
Unloader braces increase medial knee joint space by 0.3mm during walking and elevate cartilage collagen and proteoglycan — evidence of genuine load-driven tissue preservation — though benefit is limited to isolated medial compartment osteoarthritis and only 28% of patients achieve regular use at one year.
