Are You a Candidate for the MACI Procedure?

The MACI (Matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation) Procedure is a game changer for the orthopedic treatment of knee pain. The procedure boasts a high level of success at eliminating knee pain. A short recovery period is associated with this procedure, and you will be back to doing all the activities you love soon, without being limited by pain.

MACI is a minimally invasive surgical option to treat cartilage damage in the knee. Appropriate candidates for MACI generally have tried more conservative interventions such as steroid injections and physical therapy, without relief of knee pain.

Average Age Demographic

Most people are more active in their younger years which is why the MACI Procedure is at this time targeted for younger adults. Some activities, particularly repetitive non-purposeful strength training exercises, cause more wear and tear on the knee.

This can wreak havoc on your knees. MACI is proven to be safe and effective for 18- to 55-year-olds. The safety and efficacy of this procedure have yet to be determined for patients outside of this age range.

Type of Knee Injury

Knee injuries are caused by a wide variety of things, but the most common of those things is cartilage damage. When you have diagnosed cartilage damage in the knee, you may be a candidate for the MACI Procedure. The flexible and versatile nature of the MACI implant allows for multiple areas to be treated at one time, if necessary.

Thanks to MACI, areas in the knee known to be a cause of pain that have been historically harder to treat and repair are now easily treatable. These include cartilage damage located in the following areas:

• Lateral femoral condyle
• Medial femoral condyle with or without bone involvement
• Patella - often felt as kneecap pain
• Trochlea

Allergies

Knowing anything and everything that may cause you to have an allergic reaction and avoiding them is vital to achieving success with any orthopedic treatment, surgery, or procedure. The revolutionary MACI procedure should cause you less apprehension about allergic hypersensitivity. No metals or other inert objects are placed in your body. It is your own living tissue used in this procedure to treat the area of damage.

The way MACI works is that your surgeon extracts a sample of healthy cartilage from your knee from a non-weight-bearing position. This sample is then placed on a porcine collagen membrane and specially treated to encourage new growth. So, if know that you have an allergy to antibiotics or other materials derived from pigs, you should not have the MACI Procedure.

Also, with any orthopedic surgery, there is a risk of an allergic reaction to the anesthesia and pain medication used. We take a full medical history with possible bloodwork involved before the procedure to ensure that you are not allergic to any substances given for anesthetic or pain control purposes.

Contact Dr. Burke Orthopedics

At Dr. Burke Orthopedics, we want to get your knee feeling better and back to maximal health in a minimal time. Schedule a consultation with us to learn more about the MACI Procedure. You can reach us at (713) 436-3488.