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Arthrosis Treatment in Nantes Without Surgery

We treat arthrosis in the knee, hip and other joints with SVF cell therapy and PRP, and review your X-rays or MRI for free to judge the stage

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)?

Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition, also referred to as arthrosis, in which the joint's cartilage thins and erodes step by step. As the cushioning layer fails, bones start rubbing together — the source of pain, stiffness and a reduced range of movement. It is a wear-related, degenerative disease; swollen flare-ups can still appear.

  • 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

A doctor decides whether the treatment suits you after examining you and reviewing your scans

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: inflammation of the skin over the joint to be treated, fever, a cold or flu

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

What we treat

Conditions we treat

How it works

How the procedure goes: step by step

Consultation and scan review1

Consultation and scan review

First comes an examination of the joint and a look at your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound, after which the doctor decides whether the procedure suits you. Already have scans? Send them before the visit.

Blood sample for PRP2

Blood sample for PRP

A small amount of blood is taken from a vein. Platelet-rich plasma with growth factors is later prepared from it.

Adipose tissue sample3

Adipose tissue sample

Under local anaesthetic, the doctor collects a small portion of adipose tissue (roughly 30 ml) via a puncture on the abdomen or the inner thigh. Stitches are not needed.

Processing in a centrifuge4

Processing in a centrifuge

Spinning in a centrifuge splits the sample into layers, after which the stromal vascular fraction is isolated and mixed with the platelet-rich plasma.

Injection into the joint5

Injection into the joint

The doctor injects the prepared material directly into the affected joint, with ultrasound guidance helping place it precisely.

Follow-up6

Follow-up

You need neither crutches nor a hospital stay. The doctor stays in contact afterwards and monitors the joint's response.

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

No donor or synthetic material: we use only your own blood and adipose tissue

Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue

The method uses the stromal vascular fraction (SVF), a mix of cells that support tissue repair, isolated by processing a small sample of your adipose tissue. It is injected into the affected joint along with your own plasma.

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

Used often in mild osteoarthritis, it is added to SVF when a more pronounced effect is required.

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 or small joints: your scans come first, then the doctor decides on the joint, the method and the number of injections

  • KneeKneeMeniscus problems, cartilage wear and pain when walking or on stairs
  • HipHipEarly hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
  • ShoulderShoulderPain as the arm goes up, wear in the joint and surrounding tendons
  • ElbowElbowPain linked to overuse or sports strain and worn joint surfaces
  • Hand and wrist jointsHand and wrist jointsPainful, stiff small joints of the wrist and fingers
  • AnkleAnklePain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries

Advantages

Why patients choose City Medical Centre

Instead of replacing your joint, we work to keep it — treatment without surgery

Your own tissue

Your own tissue

No donor or synthetic material: we use only your own blood and adipose tissue

No crutches

No crutches

Punctures, not incisions; local anaesthetic; no prolonged rehabilitation

Second opinion

Second opinion

Free of charge, a doctor gives an independent assessment of the X-rays, MRI or reports you send

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

By messaging us, you agree to our Privacy Policy

Request a free call

Price

Osteoarthritis treatment prices

Because the cost varies with the joint, the osteoarthritis stage and the method, the doctor names it after the consultation

FAQ

Joint treatment: frequently asked questions

About the conditions

More about these conditions

Other services of our clinic

Osteoarthritis treatment in Nantes: what you should know

Knee and hip osteoarthritis are the most common reasons patients from Nantes consider joint replacement. SVF and PRP therapy is a way to try to delay or avoid surgery while the joint can still be preserved.

Treatment starts with a consultation and a review of your X-rays or MRI to assess the stage. Then blood and a small adipose tissue sample are taken, processed in a centrifuge and injected into the joint under ultrasound guidance. For patients from Nantes, it is done in one day.

Leave a request, and a coordinator will contact you to arrange a free scan review. The price of osteoarthritis treatment in Nantes is explained before treatment begins.

Weight, work and the cartilage of a big Loire city

Nantes is the sixth largest city in France, with 327,734 residents in 2023. The urban area has 689,036 people and the wider metropolitan area 1,050,815. Behind those numbers is a large group of adults who spend years on their feet or at a desk, and for many of them knee or hip pain begins as a quiet stiffness they put down to tiredness. Osteoarthritis is the slow wear of the cartilage that lines the joint. Healthy cartilage softens impact. When it thins, the bone ends rub, and the joint hurts, stiffens and moves less. It is a degenerative condition rather than an inflammatory one, although flare-ups with swelling do happen.

Body weight is one of the factors that shapes how fast this wear progresses. A national survey (Obepi, 2020) found that 17% of French adults were obese, against 8.5% in 1997 and 15% in 2012. It also found that 47.3% were overweight or obese. These are national figures and not a regional breakdown, but they show why weight comes up in nearly every conversation about knees and hips. Every step loads the knee and hip, so a steadier weight means less load on the cartilage. The doctor treats weight as one part of the overall plan and does not use it to dismiss your pain.

Work load matters just as much. Standing shifts, repeated lifting and long hours of sport put the same joints under strain for years. Our treatment page lists high load on the joints, from sport or physical work, among the situations where the approach may suit you. Other situations include pain or crunching in a joint, painkillers that help only briefly, recovery after injuries and surgery, and a wish to avoid or postpone joint replacement.

The aim of the treatment is to keep your own joint. It uses SVF, a cell fraction isolated from a small sample of your adipose tissue (roughly 30 ml), together with PRP, plasma rich in platelets and growth factors from your own blood. Nothing donor or synthetic is used. It works best at an early or moderate stage, before the joint surfaces are badly worn. If a joint is already too damaged, the doctor will say frankly that a replacement is more realistic.

Why the damp months can make joints feel worse

The climate of Nantes is oceanic (Cfb). The winters are mild but wet. The January mean is a high of 9.3 °C and a low of 3.4 °C, and the annual averages are 17.1 °C and 8.3 °C. The cold is moderate, but it comes with moisture. Relative humidity averages 81% over the year and reaches 89% in December. December is also the wettest month, with 101.0 mm of rain on 13.5 rainy days, and November follows with 94.1 mm. Sunshine falls to 77.6 hours in December, compared with 232.6 hours in August.

Many people with osteoarthritis describe more morning stiffness and a "rusty" feeling in these dark, damp weeks. We do not claim that weather wears the cartilage down. Wear is caused by load and time, not by the forecast. What the weather changes is how you behave. People walk less, stay seated for longer and warm up their joints less, so a knee or hip that was manageable in summer starts to complain. Summer is milder, with a July high of 25.1 °C and a low of 14.3 °C, and only 7.1 rainy days. That is why many people notice the problem most in November and December.

Stiffness after rest is typical of osteoarthritis. Arthritis, which is inflammatory, looks different: pain at rest and at night, morning stiffness longer than 30 minutes, swelling, redness and warmth over the joint. If your joint is hot and red, the doctor will first look into an inflammatory cause, because the approach is different. A swollen, warm joint may also be a temporary reason to wait. Acute infection in or near the joint and inflamed skin above the target joint are both listed as reasons not to treat yet.

If you notice a seasonal pattern, send your scans in the autumn, before the wettest months arrive. A timetable agreed at the online consultation lets you plan the procedure and the first weeks afterwards. Our treatment page describes the typical sequence: in the first week the joint may ache a little more, which is an expected reaction. By about a month the pain usually eases, by roughly three months mobility and activity improve, and by around six months the full effect develops. These timings are averaged and vary from person to person.

Moving through a city of rivers, trams and parks

Nantes sits on the Loire, with the Erdre joining from the north and the Sèvre Nantaise from the south. The city is 50 km from the Atlantic coast and 340 km from Paris. The ground is gentle. The lowest points along the river are around 2 m, the Butte Sainte-Anne reaches 38 m and the northwest high point is 52 m. That is good news for sore joints, because daily routes are largely flat, with only short rises.

The city is also built for moving without a car. The tramway has 3 lines covering 43.5 km, and Semitan recorded 132.6 million trips in 2015. The Bicloo bike-sharing system offers 880 bicycles at 103 stations. Cycling is one of the activities we recommend for osteoarthritis, because the joint moves under limited impact. Swimming, water aerobics, Nordic walking and yoga are also suitable. Running on hard surfaces, jumping, heavy lifting and sudden movements are best avoided.

Green space makes up 41% of the city, and there are 100 public parks covering 218 ha. Soft paths in a park are kinder to the knee and hip than long walks on pavement. Suitable regular activity builds the muscles that unload the joint, feeds the cartilage better and keeps you mobile. The doctor can suggest how to combine it with the injection plan after reviewing your scans.

Sport has a long place in the city. The Stade de la Beaujoire seats 37,473 and hosted matches at Euro 1984, and FC Nantes has won eight league titles. Many amateur players and supporters carry old football injuries. Meniscus trouble, ankle sprains and old knee injuries can lead to osteoarthritis years later. Our list of conditions includes meniscus pathology and injury, rehabilitation after injuries and surgery, and avascular necrosis. At the early stages (1–2) of avascular necrosis, SVF therapy may be considered to support the blood supply to the femoral head and delay the need for joint replacement. At later stages surgery is usually required.

How health coverage in France fits an injection plan

Healthcare in France is built on broad public coverage. According to the facts we use, 99.9% of the population is covered, the main fund covers 84% of the population, and the system generally refunds 70% of most costs. About 85% of people hold complementary private insurance, a mutuelle. In 2020 the general scheme had 59.2 million beneficiaries, and the national fund insured 88% of the population. Some of these figures are dated, so check them against your own situation.

Our consultation is online, and the coordinator quotes the cost only after the doctor has seen your scans. The cost depends on the joint, the method and the stage of osteoarthritis. We do not state in advance what your insurer or mutuelle will repay for a regenerative injection, because that depends on your contract and your insurer's rules. Ask your insurer in writing whether a procedure of this type and a document from a private provider would be considered. You can then decide with full information.

One distinction in French insurance logic is useful to know. Reconstructive care after an accident, illness or malformation is generally covered by the public system, most often in full. Purely aesthetic care for personal comfort is not. Osteoarthritis treatment is not an aesthetic matter, since it concerns pain and function, but the rules vary by procedure and insurer. Whatever your insurer says, the consultation and the review of your scans with us are free, with no obligation to book anything.

Waiting times can also shape the decision. An older survey (Commonwealth Fund, 2010) found that 53% of patients saw a specialist within a month and 28% waited over two months. Of those who needed elective surgery, 46% had it within a month and 7% waited four months or more. The data are old and not specific to Nantes, so treat them as context. If you are waiting for an appointment while your knee gets worse, an independent second opinion on your existing X-ray or MRI can fill the gap.

Getting ready for an online consultation

Everything starts with 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 rule out inflammatory diseases. If you already have these results from a local radiologist or your general practitioner, you can send them in as they are, and a doctor will review them free of charge. The coordinator will ask for them when you leave your number.

In France many people keep their images on a disc or in a patient portal. Photograph or export them in good quality, and add the dates and a short note about the joint, the pain and what you have tried. Doctors usually describe four stages of knee osteoarthritis, from early thinning of the cartilage to severe wear. The consultation will tell you where you stand. Injection treatment is most often considered at the early and middle stages. When the joint space has almost disappeared, a lasting effect cannot be expected.

Plan the procedure around the calendar. France has 11 public holidays, among them 1 May, 8 May, Ascension, Whit Monday, 14 July, 15 August, 1 November, 11 November and 25 December. Several fall in spring and early summer as long weekends, and these are convenient times for a few quiet days. The city also fills up for events such as the Rendez-vous de l'Erdre jazz festival in September, with about 150,000 attendees, and Le Voyage à Nantes every summer. The classical music festival La Folle Journée runs for five days each winter. A busy week makes it harder to rest the joint, so a quieter period is better.

The coordinators answer round the clock on WhatsApp and Telegram, normally within 15 minutes. Before the procedure, tell the doctor about any cold, flu, raised temperature or skin inflammation above the joint. These are temporary reasons to postpone. Cancer, pregnancy, blood clotting disorders, acute infections and a flare-up of a serious chronic illness mean the treatment does not suit you.

What the day and the weeks afterwards look like

The procedure is done in one day. A small amount of blood is taken from a vein for PRP. Then, under local anaesthetic, the doctor collects about 30 ml of adipose tissue through a puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh, and no stitches are needed. The sample is spun in a centrifuge, the stromal vascular fraction is isolated and blended with the plasma, and the material is injected into the joint under ultrasound guidance. There are no crutches and no hospital stay. For milder osteoarthritis, PRP alone is often used, while SVF with PRP is chosen when a stronger effect is needed.

Many patients notice early changes 2–3 weeks after the procedure, and the result stabilises over about six months. How long it lasts differs from person to person, from several months to several years, and depends on the stage, body weight, activity and other factors. Nobody can promise a fixed result. Osteoarthritis is chronic, so it needs an ongoing plan with exercise, weight control and follow-up, and a single injection is not enough on its own. The doctor stays in touch afterwards and follows how the joint responds.

Does the wet Nantes winter make osteoarthritis worse?

Damp weather does not cause the cartilage to wear, which comes from load and time. However, December in Nantes has 13.5 rainy days, humidity around 89% and only 77.6 hours of sunshine, and people tend to move less in these weeks. Less movement can mean more morning stiffness. Keeping up gentle activity, such as swimming, cycling or Nordic walking, helps, and the doctor can advise on this at the consultation.

Is it worth sending my scans in autumn, before the winter months?

Yes, if you tend to feel worse in November and December. Early and moderate stages respond best, so reviewing your X-ray or MRI before the wettest months gives you time to plan. The review is free, and you are not obliged to book anything afterwards. Once the doctor has seen the scans, you will know whether the treatment suits you or whether another route is more realistic.

Can I combine the treatment with cycling or tram commuting in Nantes?

In general, yes. Cycling is one of the low-impact activities recommended with osteoarthritis, and riding on mostly flat routes puts less strain on the joint than running or jumping. After the injection, expect the joint to ache a little more in the first week, which is an expected reaction. The doctor will tell you when to return to regular activity and what to avoid.

Will French health insurance or my mutuelle repay this treatment?

We cannot say, because it depends on your contract and on the rules of your insurer. Public coverage in France is broad and generally refunds a share of most costs, and around 85% of people hold a complementary mutuelle. Regenerative injections may be treated differently. Ask your insurer in writing before you decide. The coordinator will give you the doctor's plan and the cost after the consultation, so you can ask a precise question.

I am overweight. Is this treatment still an option?

Possibly. Body weight is one of the factors that influence how long the effect lasts, and the doctor will discuss it frankly after reviewing your scans. Controlling weight, exercise and cooperation with a doctor make a real difference to the course of osteoarthritis. Being overweight does not automatically rule out treatment, but the plan is more likely to work when it includes steps to reduce the load on the joint.

I played football for years. Can old injuries still be treated?

The doctor can assess them. Meniscus trouble and old injuries of the knee or ankle can lead to osteoarthritis later, and our list of conditions includes meniscus pathology and rehabilitation after injuries and surgery. The scans show what the joint looks like now and which stage you are at. If the joint space has almost disappeared, a lasting effect cannot be expected, and the doctor will tell you so honestly.

Which dates are easiest for the procedure, given French holidays?

Public holidays such as 1 May, 8 May, Ascension, Whit Monday, 14 July, 15 August, 1 November and 11 November create long weekends when you can rest. After the procedure there are no crutches and no hospital stay, but the first week may bring a little extra aching. Quiet days make it easier to take it gently. Coordinators work round the clock on WhatsApp and Telegram, so you can agree a date at any time.

What should I prepare if my scans are from a French radiology centre?

Send the images and the written report together, in good quality, with the dates. Add a short note on which joint hurts, how long it has been painful and which treatments you have tried. An X-ray, an MRI or an ultrasound are all useful, and blood test results help rule out inflammatory disease. The doctor reviews them free of charge and tells you the stage and whether a non-surgical plan is appropriate.