ChondroFiller pathway
CFI+ChondroFiller Injection + Arthrosamid
A two-component injection pathway for selected adult knees. Each product needs a separate rationale, and direct combination evidence is limited. From £5,500.
Reviewed byProfessor Paul Lee MBBch, FRCS (Tr & Orth), PhDCartilage and joint preservation expertiseNon-surgical
Two in-clinic injections
Day case
No general anaesthetic
Knee only
Arthrosamid is knee-specific
From £5,500
Confirmed at consultation
How CFI+ works
Two injections, two jobs
- 1
CFI (ChondroFiller Injection) lays a fresh layer of natural collagen over the worn bone surfaces, cushioning the joint now and inviting your body to rebuild cartilage-like tissue over time.
- 2
Arthrosamid is intended for symptom management in adult knee osteoarthritis. It has not been proved to slow degeneration or extend the effect of another treatment.
Why two layers
Two aims, one carefully selected plan
A worn joint is often an irritated joint. Cartilage loss on the surface causes the ache; inflammation in the joint lining causes the swelling and the flares. CFI+ addresses both in a single visit, rather than treating one problem and leaving the other.
ChondroFiller and Arthrosamid have different intended roles. A combined plan is considered only where assessment supports each component; it is not proved to slow osteoarthritis or delay knee replacement.
Candidate Profile
Who is CFI+ for?
CFI+ is for patients whose joint is both worn and reactive: cartilage loss on the surface combined with knee osteoarthritis symptoms. Arthrosamid is not added simply because swelling or flares are present; those symptoms need assessment first. The right fit is confirmed at consultation with an imaging review.
Good candidates may include
- A worn joint that is also inflamed: surface cartilage loss combined with pain at rest, swelling, or regular flares
- Patients who accept the distinct aims and evidence limits of each component
- Joints that flare and swell as well as ache from wear
- Patients considering non-surgical symptom management without assuming replacement will be delayed
- Post-injury cartilage damage in a reactive, inflamed joint environment
- Adults with knee osteoarthritis only: Arthrosamid is not presented as an any-joint treatment
Where caution is needed
- A purely focal defect with no inflammation: CFI alone may be the simpler, more appropriate fit
- Mechanical locking or catching in the joint: may need the keyhole Liquid Cartilage™ pathway instead
- End-stage bone-on-bone with no cartilage remaining on both surfaces (see CFI++)
- Untreated joint instability or major malalignment
- Active infection (joint or systemic)
Find Your Pathway
ChondroFiller® Suitability Assessment
Eight short questions, around two minutes. Get a personal pathway from a ChondroFiller Injection to a keyhole procedure or a combination plan, with a clear next step.
- No age limit — bone on bone doesn't rule you out
- A clear, personal result you can bring to your consultation
Around 2 minutes · Guidance only — not a diagnosis.
The icing on the cake · Optional
Go further: add your own living cells
Your ChondroFiller injection can be elevated with MSC (Medicinal Signalling Cells), your body's own repair cells. In early studies this combination has shown even greater improvement than the scaffold alone. It is an entirely optional enhancement, chosen by patients who want to give their joint every possible advantage.
Harvest, on the day
Your own Medicinal Signalling Cells (MSC) are gently harvested during your appointment, from bone marrow, fat or platelet-rich fibrin. The source is chosen with you at consultation.
Load into the scaffold
The cells are placed inside the ChondroFiller collagen scaffold. The scaffold holds them exactly where they are needed, so they stay put rather than dispersing.
Stay and rebuild
Held in place, the cells add a biological signal that supports the cells doing the rebuilding, working alongside the scaffold to drive regeneration.
Why London Cartilage Clinic
Pioneers of ChondroFiller as an injection
A UK first
London Cartilage Clinic was the first UK clinic to offer ChondroFiller® as an injection.
Led by Professor Lee
Your treatment is led by Professor Paul Y.F. Lee, consultant orthopaedic surgeon.
Harley Street
Consultations take place at our clinic on Harley Street in central London.
Preservation first
We aim to preserve your own joint, and we say so honestly when replacement is the right answer.
Cost
From £5,500
CFI+ begins at the two-pack tier: one ChondroFiller injection and one Arthrosamid injection. The exact number of ChondroFiller packs your joint needs is confirmed at consultation following an imaging review; packs above the first are offered at a discounted rate.
If you do not have a recent MRI scan, one can be arranged from £450. The consultation and scan review are the right first step to confirm whether CFI+ is the appropriate pathway for your joint.
CFI+
Frequently asked questions
What is CFI+ (the combination)?
CFI+ combines a ChondroFiller injection with, where separately indicated, Arthrosamid symptom management for adult knee osteoarthritis. Direct evidence for the combined pathway is limited. Both can be delivered without surgery where each has a clinical rationale.
Why combine ChondroFiller with Arthrosamid?
The two injections have different intended roles. That does not prove that using both gives a better or longer result. Each component requires its own rationale, evidence discussion and consent.
How much does CFI+ cost?
CFI+ is from £5,500. It is a "from" price because the number of ChondroFiller packs your joint needs is confirmed at consultation; the combination begins at the two-pack tier (one ChondroFiller, one Arthrosamid), and packs above the first are discounted.
Is CFI+ surgery?
No. Both injections are delivered in clinic under image guidance, with no general anaesthetic and no incision. If your joint needs a keyhole approach instead, Professor Lee will discuss the Liquid Cartilage™ surgical pathway at your consultation.
Continue Exploring
Useful context for your decision
ChondroFiller® Injection (CFI)
The single-injection pathway when regeneration alone is enough. From £3,000.
Read about CFICFI++
For very worn joints: adds your own MSC for maximum regeneration. From £10,500.
Read about CFI++ChondroFiller vs Arthrosamid
How the two injections differ and why they combine well.
See the comparisonChondroFiller® is a registered trademark of Meidrix Biomedicals GmbH. Liquid Cartilage™ is a London Cartilage Clinic technique combining ChondroFiller® with medicinal signalling cells. London Cartilage Clinic is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meidrix Biomedicals.