Treatment goals for osteoarthritis

  Osteoarthritis is a joint disease that causes widespread pain, according to a preliminary survey in China, the incidence of OA is 3%, and its treatment goals are: 1, to relieve pain symptoms; 2, to maintain or improve joint function; 3, to protect the joint structure; 4, to educate patients and families about the correct understanding of OA and treatment. The current treatment methods are divided into four types: drug therapy, non-drug therapy, additional therapy and surgical treatment. Conservative treatment can only provide short-term relief of symptoms, the best treatment plan should be taken to solve the surgical approach.  Commonly used surgical methods are: 1, osteotomy; 2, joint fusion; 3, artificial joint replacement.  At present, the latest international treatment plan is autologous chondrocyte implantation, which involves taking samples of one’s own cartilage cells, culturing them in vitro for several weeks, expanding the number of cells and then injecting them into the defective part of the articular cartilage, and covering them with periosteal flaps and suturing them tightly to achieve the treatment purpose.