Case Study: After Knee Cartilage Repair, a Former College Athlete Returns to Her CrossFit Family
Important Safety Information
Full Prescribing Information
Cartilage Repair Blog
Go to Patient Site
Go to Patient Site
Back

Case Study: After Knee Cartilage Repair, a Former College Athlete Returns to Her CrossFit Family

When a big part of your life is defined by your active lifestyle, knee cartilage pain and instability can make you feel like a part of yourself is missing. The MACI procedure for knee cartilage repair can help provide improvements in both pain and function. Dr. Scott Luallin, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at University Health Lakewood in Kansas City, MO shares a recent case that shows how one patient returned to her active lifestyle thanks to MACI.

Here are the details of Dr. Laullin’s case.
 

The Patient

Becky, an avid CrossFitter, is a 31-year-old former collegiate athlete who struggled with burdensome symptoms of knee cartilage damage for 15 years. After prior treatments failed to provide lasting relief, she decided to try MACI.
 

Patient’s Knee History

  • History of recurrent right knee patella dislocation during her collegiate soccer career, starting in 2005
  • MRI showed loss of articular cartilage with exposed subchondral bone (Grade IV chondromalacia patella and trochlea, TT-TG distance of 15 mm) in the right trochlea and patella
  • Prior treatments: Lateral release, bracing, PT
  • No comorbidities
  • Patient had a strong desire to return to her active lifestyle without pain or recurrent patellar instability
     

Surgical Approach

Following the initial arthroscopy, Dr. Luallin proceeded with MACI surgery and took a multi-pronged approach:

  • Anteromedial tibial tubercle transfer
  • Medial quadriceps tendon femoral ligament reconstruction
  • Lateral retinacular Z lengthening
  • MACI patella and trochlea
     

Outcome

  • After three months of formal therapy, Becky transitioned to a home exercise program, and adhered to her physical therapy protocol
  • Pain level: 0/10
  • Weight bearing: Full
  • Strength: 4+/5 quad, otherwise 5/5
     

2 Years Post-operative

  • Becky has been able to completely return to CrossFit, including occasional running, plyometrics and deep squatting exercises.
  • She’s pain free and back to her own active lifestyle (Individual rehab results may vary)
     

Individual results will vary. 
 

For more details on Dr. Luallin’s approach and results, click here to watch a video of this case study.

Please see below for full indication and ISI.

Back
Find a MACI rep icon

To learn more about MACI, contact a representative.

Find a MACI Rep 

#
Play icon

Watch live MACI case videos with notable orthopedic surgeons.

See technique videos 

Indication and Important Safety Information

Important Safety Information

Contraindications: MACI is contraindicated in patients with a known history of hypersensitivity to gentamicin, other aminoglycosides, products of porcine or bovine origin; in patients with severe osteoarthritis of the knee, inflammatory arthritis, inflammatory joint disease, or uncorrected congenital blood coagulation disorders; in patients who have undergone prior knee surgery in the past 6 months, excluding surgery to procure a biopsy or a concomitant procedure to prepare the knee for a MACI implant; or in patients unable to cooperate with a physician-prescribed post-surgical rehabilitation program.

Warnings and Precautions:
  • Malignancy: The risk of MACI in patients with malignancy in the area of cartilage biopsy or implant is unknown. Expansion of malignant or dysplastic cells present in biopsy tissue during manufacture and subsequent implantation may be possible.
  • Transmissible infectious diseases: Because patients undergoing procedures associated with MACI are not routinely tested for transmissible infectious diseases, cartilage biopsy and MACI implant may carry risk of transmitting infectious diseases.
  • Presurgical Comorbidities: Local inflammation or active infection in the bone, joint, and surrounding soft tissue, meniscal pathology, cruciate ligament instability, and misalignment should be assessed and treated prior to or concurrent with MACI implantation.
  • Product Sterility: Final sterility test results are not available at the time of shipping.

Adverse Reactions: The most frequently occurring adverse reactions reported for MACI (≥5%) were arthralgia, tendonitis, back pain, joint swelling, and joint effusion. Serious adverse reactions reported for MACI were arthralgia, cartilage injury, meniscus injury, treatment failure, and osteoarthritis.

Specific Populations:
  • Use of MACI in pediatric patients (younger than 18 years of age) or in patients over 65 years of age has not been established.
  • The MACI implant is not recommended during pregnancy. For implantations post-pregnancy, the safety of breastfeeding to an infant has not been determined.

To report negative side effects, contact Vericel Corporation at 1-800-453-6948 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088) or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Please see Full Prescribing Information.

Indication

MACI® is an autologous cellularized scaffold product indicated for the repair of single or multiple symptomatic, full-thickness cartilage defects of the knee with or without bone involvement in adults.

MACI® (autologous cultured chondrocytes on porcine collagen membrane) is an autologous cellularized scaffold product indicated for the repair of single or multiple symptomatic, full-thickness cartilage defects of the knee with or without bone involvement in adults.

Limitations of Use

Effectiveness of MACI in joints other than the knee has not been established.

Safety and effectiveness of MACI in patients over the age of 55 years have not been established.