Articular cartilage is the smooth, bearing surface covering all joints. When damaged, it usually fails to heal on its own—but with novel treatments, it can be fixed. That said, here are some of the ways that attempted repairs have gone wrong.

The ACL Study Group meets every two years to update the latest knowledge on ACL injuries and treatments. This year’s meeting was at the base of the Hahnenkamm ski race in Kitzbuhel Austria—the most famous downhill ski race on the World Cup circuit. One hundred and fifty of the world’s top ACL surgeons watched 30 of the world’s bravest ski racers hurtle down the ice-crusted hill at 140 km/h (84 mph). The outcome of the race was predictable: The Austrians dominated. The outcome of the scientific meeting, however, was less conclusive; the ACL is still a tough problem to solve.

The first known experiment using the CRISPR gene-editing technique with live human embryos was conducted in China in November 2018. The joy of seeing babies born with potential immunity to the HIV/AIDS virus was, unfortunately, dulled by a chorus of critics. What was not said is that the potential for good is unlimited and that the first real success will launch a thousand ships carrying weapons capable of killing off the diseases of old.

The stem cell tsunami overwhelming all of medicine is evolving. Where once it was thought that these cells could morph into anything and cure everything, our new understanding of their behavior will change how they are used. Here is where we are on the learning curve:

I believe that no doctor should do anything to or put anything into a patient without knowing or studying the long-term outcome.

What we think we know is probably not true. If we are practicing medicine the same way next year as we are practicing this year, we clearly haven’t learned anything.

Stem cell therapies are sprouting like weeds. This is a good thing. The medical community is rushing into the biologic sciences, opening up the field of stimulating tissues to heal—rather than suppressing them with steroids, anti-inflammatories, or joint replacement surgeries. Here is my take on where the field is now and where it is going.

As a part of this year’s ORS meeting, Dr. Kevin R. Stone was honored to join Dr. Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic as an invited speaker in a special translational research symposium session entitled “Cartilage Repair: Is it possible?

“Failure is not an option" people sometimes say. Really? Why not? I certainly have failed far more often than I have succeeded when I sought to do novel risky business adventures and/or create new products.

The answer is not obvious. Doctors know enormous amounts of data and have years of clinical experience. But what do they know about which devices and implants to use?

Don’t give up on your knee. Even if you had your meniscus cartilage removed, even if you have developed osteoarthritis and can barely walk without pain, there is still a chance that your knee can be restored. This study confirms how.