Patient FAQ
Things people ask us.
Plain answers about Mytocel MSK®. If your question is about whether it is right for your joint, that belongs with a clinician who has examined you.
Questions and answers
What people want to know.
Is this treatment available on the NHS?
The UK clinics currently offering Mytocel MSK are private. Your GP or an NHS specialist can still be part of the conversation, and it is worth asking them what NHS options exist for your joint before deciding.
Why is cartilage taken from my ear?
Ear cartilage can be sampled under local anaesthetic without disturbing the joint being treated. Three tiny samples, each about the size of a seed, are taken from behind your ear. No stitches.
Is anything grown in a laboratory?
No. Nothing is grown in a laboratory and nothing is sent away. The preparation is mechanical, in the room, in minutes, during the same appointment. Unlike some cell treatments, there is no second operation.
How long does it take?
The whole thing happens in one appointment, usually around half an hour, under local anaesthetic. You go home the same day.
Does it hurt?
The samples are taken under local anaesthetic. You can expect some soreness behind the ear and in the joint for a few days. As with any injection there is a small risk of infection.
When can I get back to normal?
Most people are back to normal daily activity within a day or two. The area behind your ear typically heals within one to two weeks. Your clinician will tell you when sport is sensible.
What did the studies find?
Doctors have studied this technology in small groups of patients, followed for up to three years. In a three-year study of eight people, pain scores fell from about 5.5 to about 1.8 out of 10 within six months, and the benefit was reported to last three years. In a ten-person study, people reported less pain and better function at one and six months. The studies are small and none compared it against another treatment, so they show what happened to those patients rather than proving it works for everyone.123
Will it work for me?
No one can promise you that. The studies are small and none compared it against another treatment, so they show what happened to those patients rather than proving it works for everyone. Whether it suits you is decided by the clinician who examines you and looks at your scans.
Is it a cure for arthritis?
No. It is not a cure for arthritis, and no one should present it to you as one. The studies report what happened to small groups of people, and this treatment is still being studied.
Who decides if I am suitable?
The clinician who examines you and looks at your scans. Suitability depends on your joint, your imaging, your history and what else has already been tried. It is not suitable for everyone: inflammatory arthritis, uncontrolled diabetes, advanced arthritis and a recent steroid injection are among the reasons a clinician may say no.
Can Actomed tell me whether I should have this?
No. Actomed supplies and trains UK clinics; it does not assess or treat patients. We have not seen your scans and we are not a clinical service. Whether it suits you is decided by the clinician who examines you and looks at your scans.
Who makes it and who supplies it?
Made in Italy by Human Brain Wave, part of the Remedi group. In the UK it is supplied to clinics, with training and support, by Actomed.
Your clinician decides
Whether it suits you is decided by the clinician who examines you and looks at your scans. Actomed does not assess patients.
Studies mentioned on this page
- 1.Marcarelli M, Zappia M, Rissolio L, et al. Cartilage micrografts as a novel non-invasive and non-arthroscopic autograft procedure for knee chondropathy: three-year follow-up. J Clin Med. 2021;10(2):322. View source
- 2.Tsoukas D, Muntean I, Simos C, Sabido-Vera R. Prospective observational study of a non-arthroscopic autologous cartilage micrografting technology for knee osteoarthritis. Bioengineering. 2023;10(11):1294. View source
- 3.Helito CP, Pessei V, Zaniboni C, Muntean I, et al. Efficacy of autologous micrografting technology in managing osteoarthritis pain: a pilot study. Bioengineering. 2024;11(11):1119. View source
Find a clinic that offers Mytocel MSK
Actomed supplies and trains UK clinics; it does not assess or treat patients. A clinic can arrange an assessment, and being seen is not a decision to have any particular treatment.