My MACI Plan
Important Safety Information
Full Prescribing Information
Knee Cartilage Blog
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Go to Health Care Provider Site
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Welcome!

Congratulations, your doctor has identified you as a candidate for the MACI implant! MACI uses your own cells to create durable repair tissue, which can help heal damaged knee cartilage, reduce pain, improve function, and provide lasting results.1*†

The information on this page will help you and your doctor put a plan in place for moving forward with MACI. Explore below to see how you could get back to the active lifestyle you love. Schedule time to talk to your doctor about taking the next step.

Watch Jo’s journey with MACI 

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Your cells are on an amazing journey

Find out where they are and where they’re going!

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Cell culture
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Cell processing & storage
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You are here!
Talk to your doctor about MACI
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Cell expansion
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Special delivery
(your MACI implant)
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MACI implant procedure
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Cell regeneration & rehabilitation
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Next

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Back

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Cell culture
#
Cell processing & storage
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You are here!
Talk to your doctor about MACI
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Cell expansion
#
Special delivery
(your MACI implant)
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MACI implant procedure
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Cell regeneration & rehabilitation

During your diagnostic arthroscopy, your doctor took a sample of your healthy cartilage cells, approximately the size of two Tic Tacs®.

Your cells were shipped to Vericel’s state-of-the-art, FDA-licensed facility where they will be stored cryogenically (frozen) until you schedule the MACI implant procedure.

Cartilage damage doesn’t heal on its own, so don’t wait to make a plan with your doctor!2 Schedule a follow-up appointment to begin your own MACI journey.

Once you and your doctor have made the decision to move forward with MACI, your cells are expanded and uniformly seeded on a resorbable collagen membrane.

On the day of your procedure, your MACI implant is delivered directly to your operating room.

On the day of your procedure, your doctor will shape the MACI implant to the size of your cartilage defect(s) and then place it into your knee, affixing it to the damaged area.

After the MACI procedure, you will begin a rehabilitation program specifically designed for you. Your cells will continue to regenerate, filling your defect and helping your body build durable repair tissue.1

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Want to see the spectacular science of putting your cells into action?

How MACI works

Want to see the spectacular science of putting your cells into action?

Watch how MACI works

Watch how MACI works

The choice you’re really making is between changing your lifestyle to accommodate your injury or repairing your injury to accommodate your lifestyle.

Make a MACI plan with your doctor

The sooner you and your doctor decide to move forward with the MACI procedure, the sooner your cells can start building durable repair tissue. Let’s talk about next steps.

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Don’t wait to make a plan! Get ready for a discussion with your doctor by downloading the knee pain self-assessment and MACI FAQs

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Wondering what happens if you don’t do anything? Cartilage injuries are chronic and often get worse as time goes on. Talk to your doctor about how MACI can help reduce pain, improve function, and provide lasting results using your own cells.1*†
Get the facts about cartilage damage

It's Your Move

Talk with a MACI patient. Connect one-on-one with a MACI Mentor, a real patient who has been in your shoes and made the decision to get back to an active lifestyle with MACI. Call 1-888-237-5493 or fill out the form below

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Still have questions about planning for MACI with your doctor?

We are right here beside you every step of the way.

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Rehabilitation is going to be your next starting line

Your doctor and physical therapist will customize a program that’s specifically for you. Download the free My MACI App to set and track milestones during your rehab journey. Schedule a follow-up with your doctor, then learn more about rehab after MACI.

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MyCartilageCare is here to help with insurance support

For comprehensive support tailored to your individual insurance requirements and treatment goals, call 877-872-4643 9 AM–7 PM EST Monday through Friday or fill out the contact form below.

Ready to talk through your questions with a real person?

Fill out this form to be contacted by MyCartilageCare or a MACI Mentor.

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MyCartilageCare Patient Coordinators are committed to offering comprehensive support tailored to your individual insurance requirements and treatment goals.

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Your MACI Mentor is a real patient who has been through the MACI implant procedure. A MACI Mentor can help provide insight and inspiration based on their personal experience with MACI.

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*In the SUMMIT clinical trial, MACI was shown to offer greater pain relief and improvement in function when compared to microfracture. †Improvements in pain and function were maintained with MACI at year 5.

References: 1. Saris D, Price A, Widuchowski W, et al. Matrix-applied characterized autologous cultured chondrocytes versus microfracture: Two-year follow-up of a prospective randomized trial. Am J Sports Med. 2014;42(6):1384-94. 2. Pettit RJ, Everhart JS, DiBartola AC, Blackwell RE, Flanigan DC. Time Matters: Knee Cartilage Defect Expansion and High-Grade Lesion Formation while Awaiting Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation. Cartilage. 2021 Dec;13(2_suppl):1802S-1808S.

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Indication and Important Safety Information

Important Safety Information

MACI should not be used if you:

  • are allergic to antibiotics such as gentamicin, or materials that come from cow, pig, or ox;
  • have severe osteoarthritis of the knee, other severe inflammatory conditions, infections or inflammation in the bone joint and other surrounding tissue, or blood clotting conditions;
  • have had knee surgery in the past 6 months, not including surgery for obtaining a cartilage biopsy or a surgical procedure to prepare your knee for a MACI implant;
  • or cannot follow a doctor-prescribed rehabilitation program after your surgery

Consult your doctor if you have cancer in the area of the cartilage biopsy or implant as the safety of MACI is not known in those cases.

Conditions that existed before your surgery, including meniscus tears, joint or ligament instability, or alignment problems should be evaluated and treated before or at the same time as the MACI implant.

MACI is not recommended if you are pregnant.

MACI has not been studied in patients younger than 18 or over 55 years of age.

Common side effects include joint pain, tendonitis, back pain, joint swelling, and joint effusion.

More serious side effects include joint pain, cartilage or meniscus injury, treatment failure, and osteoarthritis.

Please see Full Prescribing Information for more information.

Indication

MACI® is made up of your own (autologous) cells that are expanded and placed onto a film that is implanted into the area of the cartilage damage and absorbed back into your own tissue.

MACI® (autologous cultured chondrocytes on porcine collagen membrane) is made up of your own (autologous) cells that are expanded and placed onto a film that is implanted into the area of the cartilage damage and absorbed back into your own tissue.

MACI is used for the repair of symptomatic cartilage damage of the adult knee.

The amount of MACI applied depends on the size of the cartilage damage. The MACI film is trimmed by your surgeon to match the size and shape of the damage, to ensure the damaged area is completely covered.

Limitations of Use

It is not known whether MACI is effective in joints other than the knee.

It is not known whether MACI is safe or effective in patients over the age of 55 years.