Stage 3 Knee Arthritis: What to Know About CARTISTEM®, a Cartilage Treatment Approved in Korea and Now in U.S. Trials

A Seoul orthopedic surgeon explains who may be considered, what the treatment involves and how American patients can ask questions in English.

SEOUL, South Korea - For many Americans with knee osteoarthritis, the conversation eventually turns to knee replacement. But some people with moderate-to-advanced arthritis, often called stage 3, still have knees that may be worth a closer look first.

One option they may read about is CARTISTEM®, a cell-based cartilage treatment approved in South Korea since 2012 and now being studied in the United States. At St. Luke's Hospital in Seoul, orthopedic surgeon Yeong Seok Lee, M.D., Ph.D., evaluates patients for the treatment and consults with international patients directly in English.