Osteoarticular Transfer System (OATS)

Osteoarticular transfer system (OATS) is a surgical procedure to treat isolated cartilage defects which usually 10 to 20mm in size. The procedure involves transfer of cartilage plugs taken from the non-weight bearing areas of the joint and transferring into the damaged areas of the joint.

This procedure is not indicated for wide spread damage of cartilage as seen in osteoarthritis.

During the procedure the plugs taken are usually larger and therefore only one or two plugs are needed to fill the area of cartilage damage. The area of damaged cartilage is prepared using a coring tool which makes a perfectly round hole in the bone in the area of damage. The hole is drilled to a size that fits the plug. Next the plug of normal cartilage is harvested from a non-weight bearing area of the knee, is then implanted into the hole that was created in the damaged area. The size of the plug used should be slightly larger than the hole so that it fits into the position. This procedure allows the newly implanted bone and cartilage to grow in the defected area.

Subchondroplasty

Subchondroplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that is performed to repair chronic bone marrow lesions by filling them with a bone substitute material (BSM). The artificial substitute is then slowly resorbed and replaced with healthy bone, repairing the bone defect.

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Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), one of four major ligaments of the knee, is situated at the back of the knee. It connects the thighbone (femur) to the shinbone (tibia). The PCL limits the backward movement of the shinbone. PCL injuries are very rare and difficult to detect when compared to other knee ligament injuries. The posterior cruciate ligament is usually injured by a direct impact, such as a motor vehicle accident when the knee forcefully strikes against the dashboard or during sports participation when a twisting injury or overextension of the knee can also cause PCL injury.

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Core Decompression for Hip AVN

The hip joint is a ball and socket joint, where the head of the thigh bone (femur) articulates with the cavity (acetabulum) of the pelvic bone. Sickle cell disease, a group of disorders that affect the hemoglobin or oxygen carrying component of blood, causes avascular necrosis or the death of bone tissue in the hip due to lack of blood supply. Core decompression is indicated in the early stages of avascular necrosis, when the surface of the head is still smooth and round. It is done to prevent total hip replacement surgery, which is indicated for severe cases of avascular necrosis and involves the replacement of the hip joint with an artificial device or prosthesis.

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Meniscal Transplantation

Meniscus transplantation involves replacement of a torn cartilage with the cartilage obtained from a donor or a cultured patch obtained from laboratory. It is considered as a treatment option to relieve knee pain in patients who have undergone meniscectomy.

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