Knee pain is a common problem that can have many causes, but one common reason is damage to the cartilage. Because cartilage doesn't have its own blood supply, it can't heal itself. When knee cartilage is damaged, treatment options are available, including a new method using a patient’s own cells to grow new cartilage. The new technique is called matrixassociated autologous chondrocyte implantation, or MACI.

On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Daniel Saris, an orthopedic surgeon at Mayo Clinic, discusses MACI, the regenerative medicine approach to treating knee cartilage damage.

This interview published on Dec. 17, 2020. For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was recorded prior to COVID19 or recorded in an area not designated for patient care, where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

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