Two Very Different Injections
ChondroFiller® vs
Arthrosamid®
Both are clinic-delivered, ultrasound-guided injections — but they do completely different jobs. ChondroFiller® is a regenerative scaffold for a defined cartilage defect; Arthrosamid® is a long-lasting cushion for whole-joint osteoarthritis symptoms. Here is the honest comparison.
Reviewed byProf Paul Lee MBBch, FRCS (Tr & Orth), PhDLast reviewed 1 May 2026Quick Answer
ChondroFiller® regenerates cartilage in a focal defect. Arthrosamid® cushions a whole joint with established osteoarthritis. They are not interchangeable. ChondroFiller® is defect-targeted, supports natural cartilage regeneration over six to twelve months and is priced by defect size (£3,000–£8,000). Arthrosamid® is a mechanical hydrogel cushion that integrates into the synovial membrane, with two to three years of symptom relief on average from a single £3,000 injection. The right choice depends on what your MRI shows, not on which injection is fashionable.
The Headline Difference
ChondroFiller® vs Arthrosamid® — the key difference
ChondroFiller® is a regenerative collagen scaffold delivered directly into a focal cartilage defect; the body’s own cells then migrate in and rebuild tissue over six to twelve months. Arthrosamid® is a polyacrylamide hydrogel that integrates into the synovial membrane and cushions the joint long-term — it is mechanical, not regenerative, and is used for the whole-joint pain of established osteoarthritis. The two treatments sit at different stages of cartilage disease and are chosen for different MRI findings.
Mechanism of Action
How each treatment works
ChondroFiller® is a sterile type I/III collagen scaffold injected as a liquid directly into a mapped cartilage defect under ultrasound guidance. Within minutes it sets into a gel that occupies the defect.
The patient’s own cells then migrate into the scaffold and lay down new cartilage matrix over the following six to twelve months. ChondroFiller® supports natural cartilage regeneration; it does not mechanically cushion the joint.
Arthrosamid® is a 2.5% polyacrylamide hydrogel injected into the joint cavity under ultrasound guidance. The gel integrates into the synovial membrane and acts as a long-term cushion.
It works mechanically by cushioning and lubricating the joint. It does not regenerate cartilage, does not reverse arthritis and does not alter the joint surface.
How Long Results May Last
Duration and number of injections
Tissue formation over 6–12 months
2–3 years per injection
Direct duration comparison is misleading. ChondroFiller® aims to rebuild tissue in a defined defect; Arthrosamid® aims to control symptoms in an arthritic joint. We measure their success differently.
Treatment Course
Number of injections
Typically one injection course, with the box quantity (one, two or three) decided from MRI: one box treats most defects up to roughly 2 cm², two or three for larger or multi-zone defects. A second course is rarely needed if the original tissue establishes.
One injection is the standard treatment course in suitable patients. A further Arthrosamid® treatment may be considered at a future date if symptoms recur and the joint is still suitable.
Safety and Infection
Safety considerations
Both are outpatient injections with low overall complication rates. The most serious risk for either treatment is joint infection, which is rare. London Cartilage Clinic uses the same conservative protocol for both: real-time ultrasound guidance, full sterile technique and a routine IV antibiotic cover. For Arthrosamid® this addresses a known elevated infection signal in the literature; for ChondroFiller® the infection risk is genuinely low and the IV cover is added safety, not essential mitigation.
ChondroFiller® placement is defect-specific, so ultrasound guidance is not optional — it is the difference between filling the defect and depositing scaffold into the joint space. See Arthrosamid® infection risk and prevention for the injection-specific protocol that applies to both products.
Patient Selection
Who each treatment may suit
ChondroFiller® is for patients with a focal cartilage defect visible on MRI — typically up to around 6 cm² of cartilage loss, with reasonably preserved surrounding cartilage and bone. It is not the right answer for diffuse bone-on-bone arthritis where there is no scaffold for new tissue to lock into. See who is suitable for ChondroFiller?.
Arthrosamid® is for patients with established knee osteoarthritis who want long-lasting symptom relief without surgery — typically mild-to-moderate disease with whole-joint symptoms rather than a single focal defect. See who is suitable for Arthrosamid?
Many patients are clearly one or the other on imaging. Some sit between the two; the decision is made at consultation with imaging review, not at booking.
Cost and Value
What each treatment costs
At London Cartilage Clinic, ChondroFiller® costs from £3,000 for one box, £5,500 for two and £8,000 for three. The box requirement is set from MRI, not by upsell. See the ChondroFiller® cost guide.
Arthrosamid® at LCC is from £3,000 for one box, inclusive of consultation, ultrasound, the product, the fifteen-step injection protocol and the six-week follow-up. See the Arthrosamid® cost guide.
Both prices are all-in for the named clinician, named injection, named follow-up. The right comparison is clinical fit, not headline number.
Our Honest Take
When we may recommend each
You have a focal cartilage defect on MRI with reasonably preserved surrounding tissue.
You want a regenerative pathway that supports natural cartilage formation rather than a purely symptomatic treatment.
You are not yet a candidate for surgery and want to avoid microfracture or chondrocyte implantation if a scaffold injection is reasonable.
You have established mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis with whole-joint symptoms.
You want long-lasting symptom relief and accept that the treatment is a cushion, not a regenerative therapy.
You want to delay more invasive surgery when appropriate, with realistic expectations of what an injection can and cannot do.
When Each Is The Wrong Answer
When we would not recommend each
Diffuse bone-on-bone arthritis with no preserved cartilage rim for the scaffold to anchor to.
Significantly larger or multi-zone defects where a surgical pathway (Liquid Cartilage™ keyhole surgery or chondrocyte implantation) is the better answer.
Active infection or unwillingness to accept the conservative safety protocol.
A focal cartilage defect where a regenerative scaffold is the more appropriate option.
End-stage bone-on-bone disease where replacement is the clinically appropriate path.
Patients expecting Arthrosamid® to regenerate cartilage — that is not what the treatment does. ChondroFiller® is the regenerative option in our range.
The Bottom Line
In summary
ChondroFiller® and Arthrosamid® look superficially similar — both are ultrasound-guided clinic injections — but they treat different problems. ChondroFiller® is the regenerative option for a focal cartilage defect; Arthrosamid® is the cushion for established whole-joint osteoarthritis. The right answer comes from imaging, not from price or branding. We are happy to recommend the other product, a surgical option (Liquid Cartilage™) or no treatment at all when that is the honest answer.
ChondroFiller® vs Arthrosamid®
Frequently asked questions
Can I have both ChondroFiller® and Arthrosamid®?
They are not usually combined in the same procedure. Where someone has both a focal cartilage defect and whole-joint osteoarthritis symptoms, we discuss the order at consultation. In practice the imaging tends to point clearly to one or the other as the right first step.
Which one regenerates cartilage?
ChondroFiller® supports natural cartilage regeneration by providing a scaffold for the body’s cells to lay down new matrix over six to twelve months. Arthrosamid® does not regenerate cartilage; it is a mechanical hydrogel cushion that integrates into the synovial membrane.
Which has more clinical evidence?
Both have published cohort data. Arthrosamid® has larger registry cohorts in knee osteoarthritis at two to three years; ChondroFiller® has cartilage-specific outcome data (IKDC, Harris Hip Score, MOCART MRI) and over 19,000 cases of clinical use across joints. See the ChondroFiller® clinical evidence page.
Why is ChondroFiller® priced by boxes when Arthrosamid® is a flat fee?
A ChondroFiller® scaffold has to fill the defect; box quantity is set by defect size on MRI (one, two or three). Arthrosamid® is dosed by joint, not by defect size, so a single box covers the standard knee injection.
I have arthritis with one bad spot — which is right for me?
That is genuinely a consultation question. Sometimes the bad spot is a focal defect that ChondroFiller® can address; sometimes it is the visible symptom of broader joint disease better served by Arthrosamid®. We review the MRI before recommending, and we say so honestly when neither is the right answer.
Is one safer than the other?
They have similar safety profiles. Both are outpatient injections delivered under ultrasound with full sterile technique. The most serious risk for either is joint infection, which is rare. LCC uses the same routine IV antibiotic cover for both — for Arthrosamid® this addresses a known elevated infection signal in the literature; for ChondroFiller® it is layered safety on top of an already low infection risk.
Book a ChondroFiller® Assessment – London
Natural cartilage regeneration starts with the right defect, the right operator, and the right plan.
Learn More about ChondroFiller
Deep dive into our clinical resources and patient guides.
Cost in the UK
ChondroFiller® cost in the UK from £3,000, what is included and why prices vary.
Suitability
Who is suitable for ChondroFiller® as an injection, and who may need caution.
Clinical Evidence
IKDC, Harris Hip Score and MOCART MRI outcomes for ChondroFiller® cartilage regeneration.
Self-Assessment
Five-question ChondroFiller® pathway self-assessment for Prevention, Regeneration, Combination, or Support.
In London
Private ChondroFiller® cartilage repair at our Harley Street clinic.
Liquid Cartilage™ Surgery
Our proprietary keyhole-surgery technique combining ChondroFiller® with MSC co-delivery in a single procedure, for larger or more complex cartilage defects. £9,800.
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Where ChondroFiller® may help preserve the joint and where replacement is the right answer.
ChondroFiller® Injection
Cartilage Regeneration Overview
ChondroFiller® is a registered trademark of Meidrix Biomedicals GmbH. London Cartilage Clinic is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meidrix Biomedicals.