DeNovo Cartilage Repair Surgeon
Are you experiencing pain and stiffness in your knee? If so, you may have knee cartilage damage. Cartilage repair is aimed at restoring damaged articular cartilage while preserving healthy cartilage. DeNovo cartilage repair surgeon, Dr. James Mazzara provides diagnosis and both surgical and nonsurgical treatment options for patients in Manchester, South Windsor, Enfield, Glastonbury and surrounding Hartford communities who have developed knee cartilage damage. Contact Dr. Mazzara’s team today!
What is DeNovo™?
Cartilage is the smooth, white tissue covering the ends of the bones where they come together to form a joint. In the knee, this is called the articular cartilage and can be damaged by a bad fall, a traumatic sports injury or by normal wear and tear in active individuals. Degeneration of this protective tissue can cause the remaining cartilage increased stress which can lead to osteoarthritis.
The DeNovo™ process is an FDA approved cartilage repair technique that uses particulated juvenile cartilage to repair articular cartilage damage. It is intended to provide surgeons with an early-intervention option for articular cartilage repair and restoration. Dr. James Mazzara, orthopedic knee surgeon, treating patients in Manchester, South Windsor, Enfield, Glastonbury and surrounding Hartford communities offers the DeNovo™ process as a treatment option for cartilage damage.
Click to Enlarge Image
How is DeNovo™ Made?
DeNovo™ is made from minced cartilage from organ donors under the age of 13. Researchers have found that this tissue has a high proliferative capacity, unlike similar tissue in adults. This is because children possess incredible healing and regenerative potential in comparison to adults. The cells from children are also more dense which means there are more cells per cartilage graft. There is also no risk of rejection because the young cells lack certain proteins that can cause allogeneic immune responses in the recipients.
What Happens during the DeNovo Procedure?
Dr. Mazzara will make an open incision in the front of the knee to see the damaged articular cartilage. The small pieces of healthy cartilage cells are placed into the damaged areas of the cartilage and then sealed with a special biologic glue called fibrin glue. The incision is closed and over several months the donor cartilage cells begin to divide and grow, migrating to surrounding tissue which begins to grow new cartilage.
If you would like more information about the DeNovo™ procedure for cartilage repair and regeneration, please contact the orthopedic offices of Dr. James Mazzara, knee surgeon in Manchester, South Windsor, Enfield, Glastonbury and surrounding Hartford communities.