Advanced Knee Injury Treatment and Cartilage Repair Options

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• Understanding Complex Knee Injuries
• Avoiding Knee Replacement Surgery
• Cartilage Transplantation Techniques
• Sports Injury Treatment Approach
• Rehabilitation and Recovery Process
• Expertise in Knee Trauma Care

Understanding Complex Knee Injuries

Complex knee injuries often result from sports trauma and require specialized diagnostic approaches. Dr. Pablo Gelber, MD, emphasizes that these injuries involve multiple structures within the knee joint, including ligaments, meniscus, and articular cartilage. Accurate diagnosis is the critical first step in developing an effective treatment plan that addresses all damaged components.

Dr. Gelber's practice in Barcelona sees a high volume of complex cases referred from around the world. He notes that early and precise intervention can significantly improve long-term outcomes and help patients return to their active lifestyles.

Avoiding Knee Replacement Surgery

Avoiding knee replacement surgery, or what Dr. Pablo Gelber, MD, calls "metal solutions," is a primary goal of his treatment philosophy. He focuses on joint preservation techniques that maintain the patient's natural anatomy whenever possible. This approach is particularly important for younger, active patients who want to remain physically active for decades to come.

Dr. Pablo Gelber, MD, explains that modern minimally invasive surgical methods can often delay or even eliminate the need for total knee arthroplasty. These advanced techniques help preserve bone stock and maintain joint function, providing better options for future treatments if needed.

Cartilage Transplantation Techniques

Cartilage transplantation represents a groundbreaking advancement in orthopedic surgery for treating joint surface defects. Dr. Pablo Gelber, MD, has specialized expertise in these procedures, which involve transferring healthy cartilage cells to damaged areas of the knee. These techniques can effectively restore joint function and relieve pain for patients with focal cartilage damage.

The procedures vary from autologous chondrocyte implantation to osteochondral allograft transplantation, depending on the specific patient needs. Dr. Pablo Gelber, MD, emphasizes that proper patient selection and surgical precision are crucial for successful outcomes with cartilage restoration procedures.

Sports Injury Treatment Approach

Sports injury treatment requires a comprehensive approach that addresses both acute trauma and long-term joint health. Dr. Pablo Gelber, MD, treats professional athletes and active amateurs, developing personalized treatment plans based on their specific sport and performance goals. His approach combines surgical expertise with an understanding of athletic demands and recovery timelines.

Dr. Gelber's fellowship training with renowned sports medicine specialists has provided him with unique insights into high-level athletic care. He works closely with physical therapists and trainers to ensure athletes can safely return to competition at their pre-injury level of performance.

Rehabilitation and Recovery Process

Rehabilitation is an essential component of successful knee injury treatment that begins immediately after surgery. Dr. Pablo Gelber, MD, emphasizes that proper rehabilitation protocols are just as important as the surgical procedure itself. Structured physical therapy helps restore strength, flexibility, and proprioception while protecting the healing tissues.

The recovery process is carefully monitored and adjusted based on each patient's progress and healing response. Dr. Pablo Gelber, MD, notes that patient commitment to the rehabilitation program significantly influences the final outcome and return to activity timeline.

Expertise in Knee Trauma Care

Expertise in knee trauma care requires extensive training and experience with complex cases. Dr. Pablo Gelber, MD, brings exceptional qualifications to this field, having trained at prestigious institutions across three continents. His international fellowships in the United States and Italy have provided him with diverse surgical perspectives and techniques.

With over 70 peer-reviewed publications and numerous international presentations, Dr. Gelber contributes significantly to advancing knee surgery knowledge. Dr. Anton Titov, MD, highlights that this level of expertise is particularly valuable for patients seeking alternatives to traditional joint replacement surgery.

Dr. Pablo Gelber, MD's multidisciplinary approach combines surgical innovation with comprehensive rehabilitation strategies. His work demonstrates that many patients with complex knee injuries can achieve excellent outcomes through joint preservation techniques rather than proceeding directly to joint replacement surgery.

Full Transcript

Dr. Anton Titov, MD: Hello from New York! We are with Dr. Pablo Gelber, who is in Barcelona, Spain. Dr. Pablo Gelber is an Associate Professor of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. He practices in several hospitals in Barcelona.

We are going to discuss complex knee injury problems, especially sports-related knee trauma. Professor Gelber is particularly focused on helping patients avoid so-called "metal solutions" after knee trauma, and we will discuss this in our conversation. We will talk about the rehabilitation aspects of knee trauma treatment too.

Let me now do a quick review of Professor Gelber’s biography. Dr. Pablo Gelber obtained his undergraduate and MD degrees from the University of Buenos Aires Medical School in Argentina. He defended his Doctoral thesis at the Department of Surgery, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain.

He did fellowships and rotations in orthopedic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, United States, a Visiting Fellowship in Sports Medicine with Dr. Freddie Fu at the University of Pittsburgh, United States, and a fellowship in the elbow and shoulder surgery in Clinical Institute Humanitas in Milan, Italy.

Clinical and research interests of Dr. Pablo Gelber include diagnosis and surgical treatment of complex knee injuries. In particular, Dr. Pablo Gelber focuses on cartilage transplantation. Dr. Pablo Gelber helps patients to avoid knee replacements (so-called "metal solutions") by using less aggressive minimally invasive surgical treatment methods.

He treats complex sports injuries in professional athletes and amateur sportspeople coming to his clinic worldwide. Dr. Pablo Gelber has authored and co-authored over 70 peer-reviewed publications in international medical journals.

He has taught at many international courses in sports and orthopedic surgery and presented numerous talks at international conferences on a knee injury, elbow and shoulder trauma minimally invasive treatment.

Dr. Pablo Gelber, MD: Hello, Anton! Thank you very much for inviting me to share this interview with you. I am looking forward to having a nice conversation and giving some information about what we do here in Barcelona, specifically related to knee injuries and knee problems.