Knee Cartilage Surgery Still Questionable

It was with dismay that I read “Growing a New Knee” (March 6) [about repairing knee cartilage].

Just a modicum of research would have revealed that most responsible orthopedic surgeons, with an insight into this issue, would react quite negatively. At the recent meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Bert Zarins from Massachusetts General Hospital, who has done more of these procedures than anyone else in the United States, reported a very high failure rate, and recommended that the procedure not be done routinely. He suggested that it be continued only on an investigational basis in a limited number of academic centers.

The original article that appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine stunned the orthopedic community. At UCLA, it prompted an almost immediate session to discuss the issue.

Responsible orthopedic surgeons would likely tell you that this procedure holds some promise, but that currently it is unproven, and should be regarded as investigational. It is irresponsible of you to bring this information to the general public without a thorough discussion of the issues.

MATTHEW S. SHAPIRO, M.D.

Assistant professor

of Orthopaedic Surgery

UCLA Medical Center