New Mexico Orthopaedics Cartilage Restoration Center is dedicated to bringing cutting edge science to our patients. We are in the forefront of the nation in using established methods of restoring joint function and are part of pioneering efforts for the future.
This site is for anyone who has problems in the shoulder, elbow, knee and ankle. We have tried to present a comprehensive picture of each of these problem areas and to give a limited review of scientific information on selected complex topics. For patients thinking about surgical alternatives there is information on surgical procedures and postoperative care.
The center is directed by Dr. Samuel Tabet and his assistant Peter Crotta. Dr. Samuel Tabet has practiced cutting edge orthopedic surgery in Albuquerque for over twenty years. He is on the new frontier of orthopedics with cartilage reconstruction and cartilage replacement to prevent arthritis. In addition to cartilage restoration he does advanced sports medicine procedures for shoulder dislocation, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL), meniscus transplant.
Additional Resources
Cartilage Restoration Treatments
Damage to joint cartilage has historically meant continued decline in function. Our best hope was to slow or limit the process of degeneration. New treatments are allowing us to restore joint surfaces with the patient’s own cartilage. Cartilage restoration can also involve the following procedures:
- transplanting healthy cartilage from one part of the joint into a damaged area (e.g. OATS Procedure, Mosaicplasty);
- OBI Synthetic bone and cartilage replacement
- harvesting and cultering the patient’s own tissue and reimplanting it into a damaged area (Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation);
- transplanting cartilage from donors to replace injured tissue (Meniscus Transplantation and Osteochondral Allografts).
Because cartilage restoration is not right for everyone, we continue to provide the full range of care for patients with shoulder, elbow, knee and ankle problems using the most up to date methods. This includes minimally invasive techniques for the following procedures:
- Shoulder stabilization
- Rotator cuff repair
- Labral and biceps tendon repairs
- ACL & PCL reconstruction
- Patellar stabilization
- HTO (High Tibial Osteotomy)
- Unicompartmental knee replacement / Total knee replacement
- Elbow arthroscopy
- Ankle arthroscopy
