Thank you!

Yes, very interesting. I just had a total knee replacement in Dec. I had just a thread of cartilage left. I had my left one done in 2012.

Knock on wood - my hips are fine.

Wish it were available like… this week. As I’ve posted before I’m procrastinating double TKR but I’m close to my breaking point.

where do i sign up???!!! my right knee has been bone on bone for 4 years now and like foodonastump, i am reaching the point where it's do or die. i dread TKR and am planning to wait till spring when hopefully, elective surgeries will be back on schedule. in the meantime, i've taken to using a walker around the house. the last cortisone injection a few weeks ago lasted about 3 days. i'm going in on 2/7 to give the gel injection a try.

my "tin hips" are 22 years old this year and going strong.

getting old sucks!!!

You could always try leeches: https://www.webmd.com/arthritis/news/20031103/knee-pain-from-arthritis-try-leeches#:~:text=In%20recent%20times%2C%20several%20anti,knee%20rapidly%20relieved%20osteoarthritis%20pain.

noooooooo!!!!!! 🤣

Ninapearl, don't fear getting a TKR. Mine was so easy and uneventful. Surgical techniques have vastly improved. My left one in 2012 was uneventful too, but the healing on my right one has been amazing. I was only on narcotic pain meds for a few days. My surgeon used a "quad sparing" approach meaning that he didn't cut the quadriceps muscle, unlike what was done in 2012. The one in Dec. was an outpatient procedure, and while I initially was a bit apprehensive about that, it was fine. So don't wait too much longer because the longer you wait, the more damage is being done to the joint.

Over 15 years ago, one of my kids, while an undergrad, worked in a professor's biomedical lab where research was being done on cartilage, both as to possible replacement materials and rejuvenation possibilities. I didn't listen to the radio program linked but the cartilage issue seems to be like research to find and understand the so-called "God Particle" or centuries ago the mystical Fountain of Youth - many people looking for it, still unresolved.

“So don't wait too much longer because the longer you wait, the more damage is being done to the joint.”

If it’s being totally replaced what’t it matter? I was specifically told there’s no risk in delaying beyond quality of life.

I’m trying to get a straight answer on the risks of snowboarding after TKR. My knees balloon after half a day of riding but so far I’m putting up with that as well as daily pain and discomfort, in exchange for a few days on the mountain.

I’ve wanted to get gel injections but doctors keep telling me it won’t help, despite them keeping my father on bone-bone knees for the last decades of his life. I don’t get it.

The research team claims to be having positive results with the bunnies, Elmer.

ole joyful

If you take a cruise around the online world, you''ll find there are many studies in many different places, each continuing to explore different wrinkles and approaches to the vexing problem. Knowledge and understanding develop at a snail's pace and with many blind alleys. Nothing happens until it happens - the mechanism of any one approach needs to be understood and shown to be consistent and results repeatable by others. Research findings frequently seem promising and then are later found to have been in error or at least not what they first seemed to be.

Stay tuned. My earlier comment was simply to suggest that my very limited exposure to the topic suggests this has long been an area of great research interest. For now and likely for many years to come, bone on bone joint problems from various causes will be treated as now, which for knees and hips means surgery to replace damaged joints with artificial ones. Procedures now performed in great numbers and with consistently positive patient outcomes.

Ninapearl, don't fear getting a TKR. Mine was so easy and uneventful. Surgical techniques have vastly improved.

that's good to know! i'm not really fearful of the procedure (i've had both hips replaced), it's the recovery period i'm not looking forward to. your post gives me hope that it'll be easier than i'm thinking it might be!

i know how much hip surgery has changed since mine. both of my incisions are 13" long, now they're doing minimally invasive THRs through 3" incisions!

the reason i'm waiting for spring is that having it done during the winter months would be dicey. a 4" snowfall pretty much brings everything around here to a screeching halt and we still have 2 months of winter left, at least. 🤦‍♀️

Yes, cartilage issues are a major problem for millions and a very complex issue to find means of mitigation, let alone solution.

My impression was that these research people were making a few more steps along that long journey.

It appears that some people here appreciated the information, and some may find inspiration to pursue the matter further.

How unfortunate that such a large proportion of the sufferers will never be able to afford treatment.

ole joyful

foodonastump, three orthopedic surgeons in Seattle told me that delaying TKR surgery can result in more damage. I was told these things can occur:

• Damaged to bones and joints: The longer you wait, the more wear and tear of tissues around the knee occurs. It can lead to further damage that reaches the bone, along with increased pain.
• Weakening of surrounding muscle and tissue: Constant inflammation, increased pressure, and limited mobility could prevent proper movements, resulting in weakened muscles. The more pain you feel, the less you’ll move. This leads to the degradation of muscles, making your leg more vulnerable. Ninapearl says she's using a walker to get around.
• Risk of injury: With restricted mobility, the other knee can be damaged because of constant pressure from relying on your good knee. You're more prone to falling when your stability is weak.
• Surgical complications: The extent of the damage being done increases, making the surgery take longer and more complex.
• Increased recovery time: Recovery takes longer the older one gets.

That's what I was told by three different orthopedic surgeons. If you were told differently, you should follow whatever you were told.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/orthopaedic-surgery/specialty-areas/sports-medicine/cartilage-regeneration.html

The ink is still wet on the fellowship certificates of the two Hopkins guys and at least according to their web pages, neither is yet board certified. Both are new to Johns Hopkins.

Research is on-going at dozens of places, including many of the big-name usual suspect research institutions, as it has been for a good while. That was the type of institution my kid was at. I'm not aware of any procedures blessed and ready for prime time widespread application, Mdln, do you believe otherwise?.

I did a quick search. I don't know anything about these.

https://www.cartilageregenerationcenter.com/

https://www.vanthielmd.com/groundbreaking-knee-cartilage-regeneration-treatments/

https://www.swedish.org/services/regenerative-medicine - this is in Seattle. I've heard about it but don't know anything about it.

It's enough for me. These procedures are new and total knee replacements are still the order of the day. Good luck to all.