FAQs

1. For whom is the procedure recommended?

2. Who does ACTs?

3. Which postoperative care is recommended?

4. What is so special about co.don^® products?

The procedure of ACT can be used for traumatic cartilage defect in the knee. An important requirement for the procedure of autologous chondrocyte transplantation is the integrity of the surrounding cartilage tissue.

At present, patients with degenerating (osteoarthritis) or inflammatory (rheumatism) illnesses of the joint cannot be treated by ACT. Whether the procedure of ACT is possible for you or not, is a decision the treating and ACT-experienced surgeon can only make.

The procedure of ACT is conducted in so-called “Centers of Excellence” (COE) by specialized surgeons.

The Centers of Excellence are recognized through the long-term experience and reputation of the use of the method. With ongoing informative exchanges and special courses for the surgeons the consistent quality of the autologous chondrocyte transplantation is ensured.

A hospitalization for one or two weeks follows the operation. During this stay the physiotherapy of the treated knee is already started. The intensive cooperation of the patient is very important for the successful rehabilitation of the joint’s function.
Directly after the operation the joint is stabilized with a pressure sleeve, which allows restricted movement, and moved passively without weight-bearing using a motor-sleeve. This is followed by gymnastics and physiotherapy with lymphoid drainage and muscular exercises.

The treated joint will then be gradually loaded with the help of crutches over a period of 4 to 6 weeks during which time weight-bearing of the affected leg is tolerated while touching the ground. After three months, the joint can be slightly loaded and after six months easy sport activities (swimming, cycling, walking) are possible after consultation with the surgeon.
In all phases of the therapy an individual adjustment to the patients’ load capacity is necessary to avoid pain and irritations. A lot of exercise without carrying one´s own body weight such as swimming and cycling is recommended.

To secure and ensure the full load capacity and supportability of the restored cartilage tissue, contact sports such as soccer or handball should be started not earlier than one year after the ACT.

co.don^® stands for highest quality and security.

The chondrocyte transplants are produced individually for each patient out of a small piece of cartilage (biopsy) and the patient’s own serum in highly specialized cell cultivation laboratories with the help of our Integrated Isolator Technology (IIT). The production of the chondrocyte transplants is carried out without adding antibiotics and fungistatics as well as without genetic modifications.

Through the use of only autologous substances, the risk of rejection, which can happen after transplanting allogeneic tissues, is avoided. Also, the risk of infections caused by foreign substances (i.e. animal material) is minimal.

The quality of the transplanted cells determine the load-bearing capacity and durability of the regenerated cartilage tissue. Only the transplantation of high quality chondrocytes allows a specific, effective and lasting therapy of cartilage defects.