MDNews - Minnesota

treated with osteochondral allografts see good or excellent results that last years after surgery. "When donor materials are necessary, we perform osteochondral allografts, where we take a block of bone and cartilage from a donor and implant the whole bone and cartilage unit into the patient's joint," Dr. Nelson says. "We've been extremely successful using this technique, which opens up g ra f t i n g to a w ider ra n ge of patients." University of Minnesota Health pro- viders also utilize donor materials for certain patients with damaged menisci. The meniscus protects articular cartilage and serves as an important shock absorber in the knee. Meniscus tears are common knee injuries, especially in athletes. In some cases, ligament tears accom- pany joint injuries. While not typically a focus of cartilage reconstruction, repair- ing ligament injuries is an important aspect of fully addressing a patient 's condition and helps ensure that joints remain stable after surgery. Ligament repair is a vital part of patient care in the program. "With many of these surgeries, we often need to perform an osteotomy as well," Dr. Nelson says. "We can realign bone to place new cartilage in a better environ- ment. Every step we take is designed to help ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients." PATIENT BENEFITS Regardless of patients' circumstance or age, the University of Minnesota Health team wants them to understand the variety of treatment options available. "Too often, I come across people who didn't understand what was happening during surgery at a previous location. They just trusted that it was the right thing to do at the time," Dr. Macalena says. "We take a comprehensive approach to caring for patients and creating an understanding of the problem they are facing. We want to make sure choices are clear, safe and understood as they move forward." In Dr. Nelson's experience, patients who are middle aged or younger benefit the most from the services that the Cartilage Restoration a nd Joint Preser vation Program offers. These are often patients who have articular cartilage damage but are not experiencing end stage osteoarthri- tis. This subset includes individuals who have experienced a traumatic or athletic injury or are living with a condition such as osteochondritis dissecans. "Knee replacements are not appropriate for many young patients," Dr. Nelson says. "We repair their cartilage and help them avoid the need for joint reconstruction surgery later in life. These patients have the best results from the procedures we perform, and we're able to preserve their joints for a long time." THE FUTURE OF JOINT PRESERVATION As new treatments are pioneered, the University of Minnesota Health Cartilage Restoration a nd Joint Preser vation Program will stay at the forefront of care for patients with complicated joint conditions. " We're aware of how quickly treat- ment options for patients can change," Dr. Jewison says. "We want to be vigilant about offering safe solutions for their care and relaying those options to the larger community." To refer a patient to the University o f M i n n e s o t a H e a l t h C a r t i l a g e Restoration and Joint P reser vation Program, call 612-672-7000 or toll-free, 888-318-DOCS (3627). n " In sports medicine, we like to keep people moving, and sometimes surgery can limit their ability to move in the ways that they want in their daily lives. The Cartilage Restoration and Joint Preservation Program definitely appeals to active adults who want to avoid surgery for various personal reasons. This program allows me to offer more options to guide people in their care and help them stay mobile." — DAVID J. JEWISON, SPORTS MEDICINE PHYSICIAN WITH UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA HEALTH (left to right) David J. Jewison, MD, Kristin Mathson, Carrie Kwiatkowski, ATC, Jeffrey Macalena, MD, David I. Smith, DO, Shannon Kelly, PT, DPT, OCS, Elizabeth Niemuth, PT, DPT, OCS, and Bradley J. Nelson, MD M D N E W S .C O M /// M D N E W S M I N N E S O TA ■ 2 018 0 9

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