How does Cartiheal compare to OCA and MACI?

Cartiheal is best for patients over 35 with wear-and-tear cartilage damage, especially when there is swelling in the underlying bone or a combined bone-and-cartilage defect. OCA (donor cartilage and bone) is preferred for a single full-thickness defect larger than 2 square centimeters, often in younger active patients. MACI (your own cartilage cells grown in a lab and re-implanted) is used for one or more cartilage defects, especially when we want to preserve the underlying bone — but it requires two surgeries.

OCA tends to heal faster than MACI because the donor plug brings ready-made cartilage and bone with it. MACI starts with a small biopsy, followed by 4 to 6 weeks while your cells are grown in the lab, then a second surgery to implant them — with physical therapy continuing for 9 to 12 months. Cartiheal is done in a single operation, and you gradually return to activity over several months as the scaffold is replaced by your own tissue.

No. Cartiheal (Agili-C) is a synthetic scaffold made from coral-based mineral, implanted in one operation — so there is no donor tissue and no second surgery. That contrasts with OCA, which uses fresh donor cartilage and bone, and with MACI, which requires two surgeries — one to harvest your own cartilage cells and another to implant them after they are grown in a lab.

Yes. Many patients with medium-sized cartilage defects could reasonably be treated by more than one of these techniques. The choice depends on the size, depth, and location of the defect, whether the underlying bone is involved, your age, your activity goals, and any previous surgeries. The decision should always be made after a thorough evaluation, including imaging that shows how deep the defect is and what the underlying bone looks like.