Practice News

Knee Cartilage Transplantation Means Help for Arthritis Patients

Arthritis or chronic joint symptoms affect nearly 70 million Americans (about 1 in 3 adults), making it one of the most prevalent diseases in the United States. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability among U.S. adults. It limits everyday activities for more than 7 million Americans. Arthritis is not just an old person’s disease: nearly two-thirds of people with arthritis are younger than 65 years. 

Individuals who have arthritis have the surface cartilage of their bone worn away. Articular cartilage does not regenerate once damaged. In addition to causing pain and mobility restrictions, injuries to the cartilage can degenerate over time and result in deteriorated joint surfaces. When lesions develop, they may severely hinder a patient's normal daily activities and ability to work or play sports.

Cartilage transplantation is a rapidly developing field that attempts to replace defects in cartilage and restore normal joint function. The most common procedure is called chondrocyte transplantation. In this procedure cells from the joint surface are harvested during a knee arthroscopy. The cells, called chondrocytes, are taken to a lab and grown in a culture to produce more cells. After a new population of cells grows, another operation is performed to place the new cells within the damaged joint.

Individuals who are active and/or who have localized areas of osteoarthritis are candidates for cartilage transplantation. This means individuals who have well localized areas within the knee, ankle, elbow or shoulder, rather than global arthritis.

Dr. Cooper has experienced significant success with this procedure. If you are interested in learning more about cartilage transplantation, or want to see if you are a candidate for this procedure, please call or e-mail Dr. Cooper

Dr. Cooper is Team Physician for Philadelphia Pirates

Did you know there is a new women's soccer team in Philly? The Philadelphia Pirates are part of the Women's Premier Soccer League, an independent national league whose main focus is on the development of highly competitive amateur women's soccer teams. Since the Philadelphia Charge has been dissolved, the Philadelphia Pirates team is the only top-level women's soccer franchise in the area.

The Pirates' season runs from May 1st through August 1st. Home games are played at Swarthmore College. If you are interested in learning more about the team, please call Dr. Cooper.

New Rotator Cuff Arthroscopic Procedures Shorten Recovery Time

Due to the rising age of the regional population and the recent emphasis on conditioning for the elderly, we have seen an increasing prevalence of rotator cuff tears of the shoulder in our patient population. The majority of these rotator cuff tears are repairable through a surgical procedure, allowing recovery of function as well as relief of pain. Traditionally, however, rotator cuff tears have been surgically corrected through large incisions, usually about 3-4 inches in length. The dissection for this type of surgery included making an incision through the deltoid muscle. The recovery, in which some parents develop postoperative shoulder stiffness, is significant, including weeks of immobilization and physical therapy.

Recent advancements in arthroscopic techniques have allowed for the development of a totally arthroscopic rotator cuff repair surgery. The entire procedure is performed through several small (quarter inch) incisions utilizing newly developed instruments and a camera. This approach allows the surgeon to repair the tendon without disrupting the overlying shoulder muscles and without making large incisions in the skin. The benefits translate into a decrease in postoperative pain, earlier mobilization of the joint, which allows for less postoperative stiffness, more cosmetic scars, and decreased risk of infection and length of hospital stay. Presently, patients undergoing this surgery are able to return home the day of the operation, without any inpatient hospital stay. Physical therapy and rehabilitation are also performed on an outpatient basis, so patients are able to recover in the comfort of their home. In addition, the use of a postoperative pain pump allowed many patients to be nearly pain free over the critical first three days following surgery. Based on clinical evaluations of arthroscopic repair, the results are superior to the traditional "mini-open" technique, resulting in a decrease in postoperative stiffness.

Dr. Cooper has performed over 125 arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs over the past 2½ years. Please telephone Dr. Cooper if you have a patient you would like evaluated for this procedure.