Disappointed with his predicament, Balaja started looking for alternatives. That's when he learned about a revolutionary procedure for replacing cartilage that is offered at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital. During the surgery, doctors transplant cartilage from a donor into the damaged knee. Because cartilage doesn't trigger reactions from the immune system, patients undergoing the surgery do not need to be on medication to prevent rejection of the implanted tissue. Once healed, the knee's function resumes as if the cartilage were the patient's own.
Recovery occurs in stages.
Weight-bearing ability and range of motion gradually increase with the help of physical therapy. Most patients can walk without assistance after three weeks. Full activity levels can be resumed within two to three months. Transplant surgery also can be used for those with articular cartilage loss. For Balaja, the procedure has given him a whole new lease on life.