Articular cartilage disorder

This study tests whether adding a 3D-printed patch made from a patient's own knee fat tissue to standard microfracture surgery helps regrow knee cartilage better than surgery alone. About 104 adults with large cartilage defects will be randomly assigned to one of the two treatmen…

This Phase 3 trial tests whether a lab-grown cartilage implant (MACI) can better repair painful ankle cartilage defects than the standard microfracture procedure. About 309 adults aged 17-65 with ankle cartilage damage will be randomly assigned to receive either MACI or microfrac…

This trial tests a new partial knee implant called BioPoly for people with knee cartilage damage and pain. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either the implant or standard surgery (microfracture or debridement). The study measures success by pain and function improvem…

This study tests whether a lab-grown cartilage implant (MACI) works better than a standard surgery (microfracture) for teens aged 10-17 with knee cartilage damage. About 45 participants will receive either treatment and be followed for improvements in pain and sports function. Th…

This study tests whether a 6-week gait retraining program using real-time feedback can improve walking patterns and reduce early signs of knee osteoarthritis in people who have had ACL reconstruction. Seventy participants will be randomly assigned to receive either real-time biof…

This study tests a new way to repair damaged knee cartilage. Doctors take stem cells from the patient's bone marrow, grow them into cartilage in the lab, and then implant it into the knee. The trial includes 30 adults aged 18 to 65 with cartilage injuries or early knee osteoarthr…

This study is testing a procedure called autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) for people with knee cartilage defects. Doctors take a sample of the patient's own cartilage cells, grow them in a lab, and then implant them into the damaged area. The goal is to see if this appro…

This study tests five different standard immune-suppressing drugs to see which works best for controlling relapsing polychondritis, a rare disease that causes painful inflammation of cartilage. About 20 adults will receive one of the drugs and be monitored for 26 weeks. The goal …

This study tests a new device called the LIFT Implant for people with kneecap arthritis. The implant lifts the kneecap tendon to reduce pressure on worn-out cartilage. Researchers will compare it to a standard surgery that moves a piece of shinbone. 245 adults aged 22 to 65 with …

This study compares two types of hip replacement materials in 100 adults aged 18 to 65 who need a total hip replacement. One group gets a ceramic-on-polyethylene implant where the polyethylene is infused with vitamin E to reduce wear. The other group gets a standard ceramic-on-ce…

This study is testing whether adding platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) to standard hip labral repair surgery helps people recover better. About 400 adults with hip labral tears will be randomly assigned to get surgery alone or surgery plus one …

This pilot study compares two surgical techniques for repairing damaged hip cartilage in 40 people aged 18 to 55. One group receives standard microfracture surgery, while the other gets an enhanced procedure called AMIC, which uses a collagen patch to protect the repair site. Res…

This study tests two ways to manage pain after hip replacement surgery. One group gets a nerve block plus a second nerve block; the other gets a nerve block plus wound numbing. The goal is to see which method reduces pain and the need for opioid painkillers. About 102 adults havi…

This study tests a new injection called CartiPRO to see if it can safely reduce knee pain in people with osteoarthritis. About 194 adults will receive either CartiPRO or another approved injection, and then get a second shot 24 weeks later. Researchers will measure pain and knee …

This study follows up to 4,000 people with vasculitis (a group of diseases that cause blood vessel inflammation) and healthy volunteers over many years. Researchers collect blood, urine, imaging, and genetic samples to learn how the disease develops and changes. The goal is to fi…

This study will follow 200 people who have had a complex or revision hip replacement at University Hospitals Leuven. The goal is to track how many need another surgery and why, and to improve care by learning from real-world results. No new treatment is being tested—this is an ob…

This study follows 47 adults who are scheduled for autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) to repair knee cartilage injuries. Researchers will measure knee movement, balance, and walking ability before surgery and again 6 months after. The goal is to understand how knee functio…

This study tests whether platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections into the knee can change certain proteins in the blood of people with knee osteoarthritis. About 60 participants aged 18-70 will receive either PRP or a saltwater placebo, and researchers will compare protein levels t…

This study follows 100 people with relapsing polychondritis, a rare disease that causes repeated inflammation of cartilage in the ears, nose, and airways. Researchers will collect medical history and survey data to learn how the disease develops. The goal is to better understand …

This study looks at how often people can return to sports at least three years after total knee replacement. It compares three different types of knee prostheses to see if one type leads to better sports participation. The study will include 660 adults who had their first knee re…