City Medical Centre · multi-specialty surgery clinicOpen 24/7

SVF and PRP for Osteoarthritis in Gdansk

PRP and SVF cell therapy for the knee, hip and other arthritic joints, plus a free X-ray or MRI review to see which stage you are at

Consultation and review of your scansFree

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Knee joint: regenerative treatment without surgery
Joint treatment without surgery. Free consultation and review of your scans

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What it is

What is osteoarthritis
(arthrosis)?

In osteoarthritis, sometimes called arthrosis, the joint's cartilage lining wears away bit by bit over years. That cartilage normally absorbs shock; once it breaks down, bone rubs on bone and the joint becomes painful, stiff and less mobile. It is a disease of wear rather than inflammation, even if episodes of swelling happen.

  • No surgery — an injection instead of an operation
  • Own tissue — your blood and adipose tissue
  • Ultrasound guidance for every injection
Knee joint: an injection under ultrasound guidance

Who the treatment suits

Whether this treatment is right for you is a doctor's decision, made after an examination and a scan review

Suitable

A doctor reviews knee X-rays with a patient
  • 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

A doctor examines a patient's knee
  • Cancer
  • Pregnancy
  • Blood clotting disorders
  • Acute infections, including infection in or near the joint
  • Flare-up of a serious chronic illness
  • Temporary contraindications: a raised temperature, a cold or flu, inflamed skin above the target joint

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 me

How it works

How the procedure goes: step by step

Consultation and scan review1

Consultation and scan review

The doctor decides whether the procedure suits you after examining the joint and reviewing X-rays, MRI or ultrasound. Scans you already have can be sent ahead of your visit.

Blood sample for PRP2

Blood sample for PRP

Blood is taken from a vein in a small amount. Later, platelet-rich plasma containing growth factors is prepared from it.

Adipose tissue sample3

Adipose tissue sample

About 30 ml of adipose tissue is taken through a puncture in the abdomen or inner thigh, with local anaesthetic. The puncture needs no stitches.

Processing in a centrifuge4

Processing in a centrifuge

The sample goes into a centrifuge and divides into layers; the stromal vascular fraction is taken out and mixed with the platelet-rich plasma.

Injection into the joint5

Injection into the joint

Ultrasound guidance allows the prepared material to be injected directly and precisely into the affected joint.

Follow-up6

Follow-up

There are no crutches and no hospital stay. After the procedure the doctor keeps in touch and follows how the joint responds.

Book a consultation

Call or message us — our coordinator will contact you shortly and book your consultation

A doctor talks with a patient about joint treatment
Book a consultation
A doctor talks with a patient about joint treatment

Results

After the procedure

  • Doctor talking warmly with a patient after the procedure

    1 week

    The joint may ache a little more — this is an expected reaction.

  • Doctor consulting an older patient one month after treatment

    1 month

    The pain usually eases.

  • Doctor explaining progress to a patient using a knee joint model

    ~3 months

    Mobility and activity improve.

  • Doctor and patient walking together at a follow-up visit

    ~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

Your own blood and adipose tissue only; donor and synthetic material are not used

Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue

First a small sample of adipose tissue is processed to isolate the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) — cells involved in tissue repair. This fraction, combined with your plasma, is then injected into the affected joint.

A doctor explains SVF cell therapy for the knee to a patient on a tablet

The typical indication is early or moderate osteoarthritis: the aim is slower cartilage wear and less friction between the surfaces of the joint.

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

Platelet- and growth-factor-rich plasma is separated from a small amount of your blood and then injected into the joint, helping to calm inflammation and create better conditions for tissue repair.

A doctor explains PRP therapy for joints to a patient on a monitor

It is often applied in mild osteoarthritis, and alongside SVF when a stronger effect is called for.

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

Book a consultation

Joints

Joints we treat

Large and small joints — the doctor chooses the joint, the method and the number of injections after reviewing your scans

  • KneeKneeCartilage wear, meniscus problems, pain on stairs and after walking
  • HipHipEarly hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
  • ShoulderShoulderJoint and tendon wear around it, pain on lifting the arm
  • ElbowElbowPain from overuse or sports load, with worn joint surfaces
  • Hand and wrist jointsHand and wrist jointsFinger and wrist small joints affected by pain and stiffness
  • AnkleAnklePain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries

Advantages

Why patients choose City Medical Centre

Our focus is saving your own joint, not replacing it — through treatment without surgery

Your own tissue

Your own tissue

Your own blood and adipose tissue only; donor and synthetic material are not used

No crutches

No crutches

Instead of incisions we use punctures, under local anaesthetic, with no long rehabilitation

Second opinion

Second opinion

Your X-rays, MRI or reports are assessed independently by a doctor at no charge once you send them

Support after the procedure

Support after the procedure

We keep in contact after the procedure and monitor the result, rather than stopping on the day of the injection

About the clinic

A clinic where you can feel at ease

Modern equipment, comfortable rooms and care for every patient

A doctor and a patient at the clinic

Contact us the way that suits you

We will answer your questions and find a convenient time for a consultation

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Price

Osteoarthritis treatment prices

Pricing depends on which joint, which method and the stage of osteoarthritis; the doctor gives the cost after the consultation

FAQ

Joint treatment: frequently asked questions

About the conditions

More about these conditions

Everything about arthrosis treatment in Gdansk

Treatment of osteoarthritis in Gdansk uses your own tissue: plasma from a small blood sample and the stromal vascular fraction from a small sample of adipose tissue. There is no donor or synthetic material.

PRP is often used for mild osteoarthritis, and SVF with PRP when a stronger effect is needed. The method and the number of injections are chosen for each patient in Gdansk after the examination.

The price depends on how many joints are treated and on the method. For patients from Gdansk, the doctor explains the plan and the cost at a free consultation before any procedure.

Worn cartilage and a Baltic year: keeping the knee or hip moving in every season

Osteoarthritis, also called arthrosis, is the slow wear of the cartilage that lines the ends of the bones in a joint. Healthy cartilage cushions impact; when it thins, the bones rub, and pain, stiffness and crunching appear. It is a degenerative condition, not an inflammatory one, and the knees and hips are affected most because they carry the greatest load, followed by the ankle and the small joints of the hand.

Because the condition is chronic, the question is not only what to do on the day of an injection, but how to keep moving through the year. In Gdansk the climate tables for 1991 to 2020 show a mean daily maximum of 1.7 °C in January, 12.1 °C in April and 22.9 °C in August. Sunshine rises from 39 hours in January to 259 in June, so the months for outdoor walking are not the same as the months for indoor exercise, and a good plan uses both.

From November to January the air is damp, with humidity of 89.1 % in November and 89.8 % in December, and daylight is short. That is the season to choose activities that do not depend on weather, such as swimming in a pool, water aerobics, a stationary bicycle or home exercises given by a physiotherapist. When spring arrives, add walking on flat ground. Doctors recommend suitable activity because it builds the muscles that unload the joint and nourishes cartilage.

Which movement helps and which does not: a practical guide for a worn joint

The best forms of exercise are gentle ones that keep the joint moving without pounding it: swimming, water aerobics, cycling, Nordic walking and yoga. Running on hard surfaces, jumping, heavy lifting and sudden movements are better avoided. Gdansk Bay is known for its beaches, and a measured walk on a level path by the water is attractive, but surface, distance and pace should be set to the stage of your osteoarthritis.

Weight matters too. Every extra kilogram adds load to the knees and hips, so controlling weight is part of any plan for these joints. This is not a matter of blame; it is a matter of mechanics. If your weight is high, the doctor can talk through the options with you, and progress at your own pace is better than a sudden, unsustainable change.

Early diagnosis and cooperation with a doctor make a real difference, because without treatment the pain usually turns constant, movement becomes more limited, the joint can deform and walking may get difficult. If you notice the first signs, such as aching on movement, crunching or stiffness after rest, do not wait for a bad winter to see what happens.

Four stages, one question: is injection treatment a realistic option for you?

Doctors usually describe four stages of osteoarthritis, from early thinning of the cartilage to severe wear. Injection treatment is most often considered in the early and middle stages, and the milder the stage, the faster and longer-lasting the effect tends to be. When the joint space has almost disappeared in the most advanced stage, a lasting effect cannot be expected, and joint replacement may be the honest answer. The doctor tells you which situation you are in after seeing your scans.

An X-ray remains the main method and shows the stage. MRI gives a detailed picture of cartilage and soft tissues, ultrasound shows inflammation and fluid in the joint, and blood tests help to rule out inflammatory diseases. You do not need to repeat tests that you already have: send the results you hold, and the doctor reviews them free of charge, assesses the stage and proposes a non-surgical plan where that is appropriate.

For hip osteoarthritis at stages 1 and 2, SVF therapy may be considered to support blood supply to the femoral head and delay the need for replacement. At later stages surgery is usually required. For the knee, PRP and SVF injections are used to ease pain and support the joint, particularly when the meniscus is involved, after the MRI has been reviewed.

What happens on the procedure day and how to read the weeks that follow

The method uses two products of your own body. PRP is plasma rich in platelets and growth factors, separated from a small blood sample, and it helps to quieten inflammation and set better conditions for tissue repair. SVF is the stromal vascular fraction, a mix of cells that support repair, isolated from about 30 ml of adipose tissue taken through a puncture in the abdomen or inner thigh under local anaesthetic. The material is injected into the joint under ultrasound guidance.

There are no incisions, no crutches and no hospital stay. The joint may ache a little more for a short time, which is an expected reaction. Many patients notice early changes at 2 to 3 weeks, the result stabilises over about six months, and it can last from several months to several years depending on the person. Because osteoarthritis is chronic, it calls for an ongoing plan and not a one-off injection.

In milder cases the treatment may reduce the need for regular hyaluronic acid injections. It is not suitable in cases of cancer, acute infection, clotting disorders, pregnancy or a flare-up of a serious chronic illness, and a fever, a cold or inflamed skin over the joint means waiting. The doctor checks all of this at the consultation and explains the risks for your own case.

Referrals, waiting lists and what your public insurance does

In Poland the National Health Fund, NFZ, finances services from an official list of covered benefits. Referrals are needed for hospital treatment, specialist care and rehabilitation, and a patient may join the waiting list of only one provider for a given service. We do not claim to know whether a particular treatment of your joint is covered; the list and your medical indications decide, and your own doctor and the fund can answer.

Our consultation is separate and online. You send existing reports to the coordinators, who are on WhatsApp and Telegram 24/7, a doctor reviews them free of charge, and you hear whether a plan without surgery suits your stage. The cost depends on the joint, the method and the stage of osteoarthritis, and the doctor quotes it after the consultation. After the procedure we keep in touch and follow the result, not just the day of the injection.

Gdansk is the centre of the Tricity area, whose metropolitan population is put at 1,090,000 in 2024. A large urban area gives you many options for exercise and for physiotherapy near home, and our plan is meant to fit alongside them. Tell your physiotherapist what you are considering, and keep to the exercise programme they have given you.

Which season is best for treatment in Gdansk?

There is no wrong season. In the damp months from November to January plan indoor exercise such as swimming, and in spring and summer add walks on level ground, following the doctor's advice on load.

Is Nordic walking suitable with osteoarthritis?

It is one of the suitable forms of activity, together with swimming, water aerobics, cycling and yoga. Avoid running on hard surfaces, jumping and heavy lifting.

Can I send my X-ray from Gdansk without an appointment?

Yes. Send X-rays, MRI or test results in WhatsApp or Telegram, and a doctor reviews them free of charge and tells you the stage.

How soon will I notice a change?

Many patients notice early changes at 2 to 3 weeks, the result stabilises over about six months and lasts from several months to several years. It differs from person to person.

Does NFZ pay for injection treatment of osteoarthritis?

NFZ finances only services on its official list, with referrals for hospital and specialist care. We cannot say whether your case is covered.

What if my osteoarthritis is advanced?

When the joint space has almost disappeared, a lasting effect cannot be expected, and joint replacement may be the realistic option. The doctor tells you honestly after seeing your scans.

Do I still need exercise after the injection?

Yes. Suitable activity builds the muscles that unload the joint and keeps you moving, and the doctor gives you recommendations for the first weeks.