1Consultation and scan review
First comes an examination: the doctor checks the joint and your X-ray, MRI or ultrasound images and decides whether the procedure fits. If you have scans already, send them in advance.
Non-Surgical Joint Treatment in Cologne
Cell therapy (SVF) and platelet-rich plasma for knee, hip and shoulder joints and beyond, plus a free look at your scans first
Consultation and review of your scansFree
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What it is
What is regenerative
joint treatment?
Regenerative care for joints is based on your own material. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is obtained from blood, and the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) from a small amount of adipose tissue; the doctor then injects it into the affected joint to reduce pain and inflammation and to support its internal tissues.
If you live with joint pain and hope to postpone or avoid surgery — or were told that replacement is the only option — this may be for you. How early the condition is matters for a lasting effect, and the doctor determines the stage from your scans.
- No surgery — an injection instead of an operation
- Own tissue — your blood and adipose tissue
- Ultrasound guidance for every injection
Who the treatment suits
Examination and scan review come first; then the doctor decides whether the treatment suits you
Suitable
- Pain, crunching or stiffness in a joint
- Painkillers only help for a short time
- Recovery after injuries and surgery
- You need a second opinion on your scans
- You want to avoid or postpone joint replacement
- Early or moderate arthrosis or arthritis
- High load on the joints — sport or physical work
Not suitable
- Cancer
- Pregnancy
- Blood clotting disorders
- Acute infections, including infection in or near the joint
- Flare-up of a serious chronic illness
- Temporary contraindications: having a fever, a cold or flu, or inflamed skin over the joint to be treated
Not sure the treatment is right for you?
Leave your number — the coordinator will ask for your scans (X-ray, MRI or ultrasound), and the doctor will tell you whether treatment without surgery suits you.
Find out if it suits meWhat we treat
Conditions we treat
Arthritis
Arthrosis
Avascular necrosis
Osteoarthritis
Coxarthrosis (hip osteoarthritis)
Gonarthrosis (knee osteoarthritis)
Meniscus pathology and injury
Rehabilitation after injuries and surgery
Inflammatory joint conditions- Second opinionSend any X-rays, MRI or reports and receive an independent assessment from a doctor for free
How it works
How the procedure goes: step by step
1
2Blood sample for PRP
Blood is taken from a vein in a small amount, and it is later used to prepare platelet-rich plasma with growth factors.
3Adipose tissue sample
A small portion of adipose tissue (about 30 ml) is taken under local anaesthetic through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh. There is no need for stitches.
4Processing in a centrifuge
The sample is centrifuged and divides into layers; the stromal vascular fraction is isolated from it and mixed with platelet-rich plasma.
5Injection into the joint
Using ultrasound guidance, the doctor places the prepared material precisely by injecting it straight into the affected joint.
6Follow-up
There are no crutches and you do not stay in hospital. After the procedure the doctor stays in contact and tracks the joint's response.
Book a consultation
Call or message us — our coordinator will contact you shortly and book your consultation
Results
After the procedure
1 week
The joint may ache a little more — this is an expected reaction.
1 month
The pain usually eases.
~3 months
Mobility and activity improve.
~6 months
The full effect develops.
How long it lasts differs from person to person and depends on the stage of the condition, body weight, activity and other factors — no one can promise a fixed result.
Comparison
Methods we use
No donor or synthetic material: only your own blood and adipose tissue are used
Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue
A small sample of your adipose tissue is processed to isolate the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) — a mix of cells involved in tissue repair. Combined with your own plasma, it is injected into the affected joint.
It is usually chosen when the changes in the joint are more pronounced and a longer-lasting effect is the goal.
- Material
- Your adipose tissue and plasma
- How it is given
- Into the joint, under ultrasound
- Duration
- The whole procedure is done in one day.
PRP — platelet-rich plasma from your own blood
Plasma rich in platelets and growth factors is separated from a small amount of your blood and injected into the joint. It helps calm inflammation and creates better conditions for tissue repair.
It can be a course of injections on its own or be combined with SVF.
- Material
- Your blood from a vein
- How it is given
- Into the joint, under ultrasound
- Duration
- The whole procedure is done in one day.
The benefits and timings shown are averaged and given for guidance: the plan and recovery depend on your joint and individual features, and the doctor confirms them at the consultation.
At the consultation the doctor will review your scans and suggest a treatment plan
Free consultation
Joints
Joints we treat
Any joint, large or small — once the scans are reviewed, the doctor decides on the joint, the method and the number of injections
KneeMeniscus problems, cartilage wear and pain on stairs or after a walk
HipEarly hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
ShoulderPain as the arm goes up, wear of the joint and adjacent tendons
ElbowAching after strain from sport or overuse, joint surface wear
Hand and wrist jointsStiff, painful small joints in the fingers and wrist
AnklePain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries
Advantages
Why patients choose City Medical Centre
Keeping your natural joint instead of replacing it is our goal — no surgery involved
Your own tissue
No donor or synthetic material: only your own blood and adipose tissue are used
No crutches
Local anaesthetic and punctures in place of incisions mean no long rehabilitation
Second opinion
Send any X-rays, MRI or reports and receive an independent assessment from a doctor for free
Support after the procedure
Contact continues after the procedure — we track the result, not just the injection itself
About the clinic
A clinic where you can feel at ease
Modern equipment, comfortable rooms and care for every patient
Contact us the way that suits you
We will answer your questions and find a convenient time for a consultation
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Request a free callPrice
Joint treatment prices
The joint, the method and the stage of the condition determine the cost, so it is set after the consultation
Consultation and review of your scans
Free
Book — Consultation and review of your scansPRP therapy (platelet-rich plasma)
Price at consultation
Book — PRP therapy (platelet-rich plasma)Cell therapy (SVF + PRP), one joint
Price at consultation
Book — Cell therapy (SVF + PRP), one joint
FAQ
Joint treatment: frequently asked questions
Often, yes. For meniscus damage and knee osteoarthritis, PRP and SVF injections are used to ease pain and support the joint. The doctor reviews your MRI first and says whether this suits you.
One is plasma, one is cells: PRP is platelet-rich plasma from your blood, SVF a cell fraction from a small adipose tissue sample. As they act in different ways, doctors often combine them to boost the regenerative effect in the joint.
Both approaches use tissue from your own body, which makes rejection or an allergic reaction very unlikely. Temporary pain, swelling or bruising may occur, as after any injection, and infection is rare. The risks for your particular case are explained by the doctor at the consultation.
Duration is individual. PRP often works for several months to about a year, while SVF may last longer. It depends on the stage of the condition and your body, which is why no one can promise a fixed result.
We do not perform the procedure in cases of cancer, acute infection, blood clotting disorders, pregnancy or a flare-up of a serious chronic illness. The doctor checks all of this at the consultation.
At an early stage, combining PRP or SVF injections with exercise therapy and physiotherapy can reduce pain and help movement. When the joint is already badly damaged, replacement may be more realistic, and the doctor will say so honestly after seeing your scans.
At an early stage (1–2), SVF therapy may help support the blood supply to the femoral head and delay the need for joint replacement. Surgery is usually required at later stages.
Joint replacement is a major operation: rehabilitation takes long, infection is among the risks, and an implant may one day have to be redone. With early or moderate changes it is often sensible to try keeping your own joint first.
Yes, you can. A doctor reviews the X-rays, MRI, CT or medical reports you send free of charge and tells you if the procedure could suit you and what else may be needed.
In most cases within a day or two. No crutches, no long rehabilitation — the doctor recommends how to manage load and exercise in the first weeks.
For shoulder joint and rotator cuff problems PRP is used, and for more advanced arthritis of the shoulder SVF may be considered. Suitability depends on the cause of your pain, and the doctor identifies that first.
About the conditions
More about these conditions
Arthritis is an inflammatory disease of the joints. Typical signs are pain at rest and at night, morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes, swelling, redness and warmth over the joint. Causes include autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, infections, gout and psoriasis.
It is gradual wear of the cartilage that covers the ends of the bones in a joint. When the cartilage thins, the joint loses its cushioning, the bones rub against each other, and pain, stiffness and crunching appear. It is a degenerative condition, not an inflammatory one.
Osteoarthritis is wear of the cartilage: aching pain on movement, crunching, stiffness after rest. Arthritis is inflammation: pain at rest and at night, swelling, redness and warmth over the joint. The approach to treatment differs, so the diagnosis comes first.