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Learning About Your Knee Condition

Knee Glossary

General Knee Conditions

About Cartilage Damage

Treating Damaged Cartilage

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Patients > Learning About Your Knee Condition > General Knee Conditions

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General Knee Conditions

Many people live with knee pain for years. Simple activities like playing catch with your child or getting in and out of the car can become an ordeal. Problems that cause these symptoms are given many different names, but no matter what your problem is called, without a remedy, you may begin and end every day in pain.

Below are brief descriptions of some of the most common knee conditions. For more details about any of these conditions, there are many reputable websites and books available--but remember, your doctor is your best source of information about your specific knee condition and your treatment options.

Bursitis, Tendonitis, or Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

These are all overuse injuries in which repetitive activities or prolonged pressure on the knee, such as stair climbing, jogging, or other stresses on the joints, lead to irritation and inflammation.

Sprains

Sprains are injuries to the ligaments that connect bone to bone. The ligaments may be stretched, or they may be partially or totally torn. Treatments will vary based on the severity of the injury.

Osteoarthritis

Many people suffer for years with arthritis that limits even the simplest activities. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and the most common joint disease. To learn more about osteoarthritis, please see the Genzyme Biosurgery osteoarthritis page.

Cartilage Damage

Meniscal tears and articular cartilage damage may occur during sports or work activities, a traumatic incident involving the knee, or just through daily wear and tear. To learn more about articular and meniscal cartilage damage please see our About Knee Cartilage Damage page.

CARTICEL is for autologous use and is indicated for the repair of symptomatic, cartilage defects of the femoral condyle (medial, lateral or trochlea), caused by acute or repetitive trauma, in patients who have had an inadequate response to a prior arthroscopic or other surgical repair procedure (e.g., debridement, microfracture, drilling/abrasion arthroplasty, or osteochondral allograft/autograft). CARTICEL should only be used in conjunction with debridement, placement of a periosteal flap and rehabilitation. The independent contributions of the autologous cultured chondrocytes and other components of the therapy to outcome are unknown. It is not indicated for the treatment of cartilage damage associated with generalized osteoarthritis. It is not recommended for patients whose knee meniscus has been surgically removed unless the patient has undergone surgical reconstruction prior to or concurrent with CARTICEL implantation.

Pre-existing conditions including meniscal tears, joint instability or malalignment of the joint should be corrected prior to or concurrent with CARTICEL implantation. It should not be used in patients with a known history of hypersensitivity to gentamicin, other aminoglycosides or materials of bovine origin. CARTICEL is not routinely tested for transmissible infectious diseases and may transmit disease to the healthcare provider handling CARTICEL. In addition, it should not be used in patients who have previously had cancer in the bones, cartilage, fat or muscle of the treated limb. Use in children, patients over age 65, or in joints other than the knee has not yet been assessed.

The occurrence of subsequent surgical procedures (SSPs), primarily arthroscopy, following CARTICEL implantation is common. In the Study of the Treatment of Articular Repair (STAR), forty-nine percent (49%) of patients underwent an SSP on the treated knee, irrespective of their relationship to CARTICEL, during the 4-year follow up. The most common serious adverse events (³ 5% of patients), derived from STAR, include arthrofibrosis/joint adhesions, graft overgrowth, chondromalacia or chondrosis, cartilage injury, graft complication, meniscal lesion, graft delamination, and osteoarthritis.

For more information on CARTICEL, please see the Package Insert (PDF).