If you have severe osteoarthritis, there are several types of surgery that you may be able to have. These include microfracture surgery-uses a drill or pick to make holes on the bone surface to encourage new cartilage to grow. If your knee locks or gives way, a knee arthroscopy can clear away debris in it that causes this. Hip resurfacing replaces the damaged surfaces in your hip joint with artificial ones. Trapeziectomy is thumb surgery to remove a small bone and create more space so the bone surfaces don't rub together. Foot surgery can correct the positions of these joints. Wrist surgery includes stiffening or fusion and less commonly joint replacement. Chondrocyte or cartilage transplants involve growing new, healthy cartilage cells and transplanting them into people who have osteoarthritis.
Attribution: BUPA