Bone bruises are often the first, middle, or last step in the development of arthritis. The old thinking was to just let them heal. The new thinking tells us to treat both the bruise and the cause of it before it gets worse. Here is how.

Stem cells are both in and out. It was once thought that if these cells were injected into joints, they would turn into cartilage. Two problems arose. First, patients (unless they are infants) have very few stem cells left. Second, the injected cells died after releasing their instructional growth factors, never turning into cartilage. But what we have learned is that an increasing number of concentrated growth factors, immune stimulants, and even some drugs can induce the migration of the body’s own progenitor cells—some of them stem cells—cells that direct healing—to the injured area. These cells then optimize the environment around the injury to effect healing.

To cut, or not to cut? To repair, or to let heal? To rehab without fixing? To live with imperfect parts? Each of these questions is faced every day by surgeons and their patients. Here are a few decisions about incisions.

The meniscus can be compared to a gasket in a hose: If it is cut, water leaks out.

3D printing is one of today’s most talked-about technologies. But it still has a long way to go before it can transform orthopedic surgery.

Standardized care is not always the best care. What we really need is an agile medical system that values innovation.

The re-introduction of the collagen meniscus implant (CMI), unavailable in the U.S. for more than five years, will mean an improved quality of life for thousands of Americans.

How a biological device can act as a trellis for new meniscus tissue to grow into, reconstructing missing segments of the meniscus shape.

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.

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.

When I hear a patient say, “The doctor told me it is a standard procedure,” I often think that means there isn’t much thought being put into it. Each knee is different. Each torn meniscus cartilage is different.

A recent study suggested that meniscus surgery doesn't help. Studies can be misleading. Even small losses of meniscus tissue lead to big changes in force concentration on the tibia (shin bone) and eventually arthritis.

Losing a meniscus is tough on the body. Without a meniscus, the covering of each of the bones, called the articular cartilage, rub up against one another, which leads to pain and, eventually arthritis. Patients often ask me "Isn't there a shock absorber you can put back into the knee joint?"

We like to do everything possible to rebuild the knee joint with biologic tissues rather than artificial materials to help delay the time in which an artificial joint replacement is necessary.