Kayla, Abby, Courtney and Chris, MACI patients
Real People,
Real Recovery Stories
Knee cartilage damage didn’t hold them back. Hear how they overcame knee pain with the help of MACI.
“Thanks to MACI, I am close to being back in the best shape of my life and each day I’m getting stronger and feeling better.”
Motivation has never been an issue for Chris. Deployed in the Air Force, working out in the gym, or studying for the bar exam, he’s always given it his best. Even when severe knee pain added to the strain of his missions, he was able to push through the pain. But when his doctor explained that his knee cartilage damage was so extensive, it was keeping him from performing at his desired activity level, Chris knew it was time to change tactics.
Unwilling to give up his active life, Chris researched treatment options with the help of his doctor. Together, they chose MACI, a procedure that would use his own cells to repair his damaged knee cartilage, relieving his pain and getting him back to his active life.
Learn more about Chris’s journey through rehab and how he made his comeback with the help of MACI.
The videos are not intended to provide medical advice. Always talk to your healthcare provider with any questions. You should also talk to your healthcare provider before starting any exercise and to see if MACI may be right for you. Individual results will vary. Paid testimonial by a real MACI patient.
“MACI impacted me in a lot of ways. By resolving my knee pain, it brought me back to doing what I love; running, biking, and just being active with my family and friends.”
Abby is used to being challenged. As a former college athlete, she’s been competing in sports for most of her life. So when knee pain from damaged knee cartilage took her out of the game, there was no way she was going to be content sitting on the sidelines.
Working with her doctor, Abby chose MACI, a procedure that used her own cells to repair her damaged knee cartilage. With the guidance of her physical therapist, Abby approached her MACI rehab with the same focus and determination she used on the athletic field.
Hear more about Abby’s story and how MACI helped her get back to living the active life she loves.
The videos are not intended to provide medical advice. Always talk to your healthcare provider with any questions. You should also talk to your healthcare provider before starting any exercise and to see if MACI may be right for you. Individual results will vary. Paid testimonial by a real MACI patient.
“Not having to think about going up and down stairs and not having to worry about knee pain in inconvenient places, just months after surgery, is really meaningful.”
As a physician, Courtney likes to work on the cutting edge of medicine. So when she heard MACI could repair her damaged knee cartilage with her own cells, she wanted to learn more—especially since knee issues were interfering with the physical demands of her work.
With the help of her doctor, Courtney decided to move forward with MACI. Motivated to get back to her patients as soon as possible, Courtney worked through MACI rehab one milestone at a time.
Listen to more of Courtney’s story to see how far she’s come after MACI.
The videos are not intended to provide medical advice. Always talk to your healthcare provider with any questions. You should also talk to your healthcare provider before starting any exercise and to see if MACI may be right for you. Individual results will vary. Paid testimonial by a real MACI patient.
“My MACI procedure had a positive impact on my ability to participate in daily activities. I can now spend long hours on my feet at work with confidence and I'm back to enjoying the activities I love.”
Kayla’s always been on the go. From playing competitive soccer in her youth to working as an ER nurse, she’s lived a fast-paced active life. But when knee cartilage damage was preventing her from caring for her patients and enjoying the activities she loved, Kayla decided it was time to take action and care for herself.
After researching her treatment options with the help of her doctor, they decided to move ahead with MACI, a procedure that would use Kayla’s own cells to repair her damaged knee cartilage and provide long-term* results. After her MACI procedure, Kayla’s back to living an active life and working 12-hour shifts in the ER. And she couldn’t be happier.
See more of Kayla’s comeback story and why she believes MACI rehab was worth it.
The videos are not intended to provide medical advice. Always talk to your healthcare provider with any questions. You should also talk to your healthcare provider before starting any exercise and to see if MACI may be right for you. Individual results will vary. Paid testimonial by a real MACI patient.
*Improvements at 2 years, maintained at 5 years.
See how Becky is addressing her chronic knee pain from a cartilage injury sustained playing soccer and her goal of returning to the activities she loves as a fitness enthusiast and mother.
The videos are not intended to provide medical advice. Always talk to your healthcare provider with any questions. You should also talk to your healthcare provider before starting any exercise and to see if MACI may be right for you. Individual results will vary. Paid testimonial by a real MACI patient.
The videos are not intended to provide medical advice. Always talk to your healthcare provider with any questions. You should also talk to your healthcare provider before starting any exercise and to see if MACI may be right for you. Individual results will vary. Paid testimonial by a real MACI patient.
The videos are not intended to provide medical advice. Always talk to your healthcare provider with any questions. You should also talk to your healthcare provider before starting any exercise and to see if MACI may be right for you. Individual results will vary. Paid testimonial by a real MACI patient.
The videos are not intended to provide medical advice. Always talk to your healthcare provider with any questions. You should also talk to your healthcare provider before starting any exercise and to see if MACI may be right for you. Individual results will vary. Paid testimonial by a real MACI patient.
Talk with real patients about their experience with MACI
Hear about real personal experiences with knee cartilage damage and MACI. The MACI Mentor Program gives you an opportunity to connect one-on-one with real people who have had the MACI procedure.
To speak with a MACI Mentor, call 1-888-237-5493 or click here
Sign up to get information on the MACI procedure, patient support, and more with our free welcome packet.
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.