1Consultation and scan review
The doctor examines the joint, reviews your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound and decides whether the procedure suits you. If you already have scans, you can send them before the visit.
Osteoarthritis Treatment in Palermo
Knee, hip or another joint affected by arthrosis? SVF cell therapy and PRP, with a no-cost look at your X-rays or MRI to define the stage
Consultation and review of your scansFree
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What it is
What is osteoarthritis
(arthrosis)?
Arthrosis, or osteoarthritis, is chronic: the cartilage inside the joint gets thinner and gradually disappears. Without this shock-absorbing layer the bones rub together, and pain, stiffness and a narrower range of motion follow. The process is degenerative; inflammation is not its cause, although swollen flare-ups are possible.
Weight-bearing joints suffer most: the knee (gonarthrosis), the hip (coxarthrosis), and also the ankle and small hand joints. Results are strongest at early and moderate stages, before heavy damage to the joint surfaces. When the stage is advanced, the doctor will honestly explain if joint replacement is the more realistic option.
- No surgery — an injection instead of an operation
- Own tissue — your blood and adipose tissue
- Ultrasound guidance for every injection
Who the treatment suits
Your scans are reviewed and you are examined — then a 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: 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 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 your reports, X-rays or MRI, and a doctor will independently assess them free of charge
How it works
How the procedure goes: step by step
1
2Blood sample for PRP
Blood in a small amount is drawn from a vein, and later platelet-rich plasma rich in growth factors is prepared from it.
3Adipose tissue sample
A puncture on the abdomen or inner thigh, under local anaesthetic, is used to take a small portion of adipose tissue (about 30 ml). No stitches afterwards.
4Processing in a centrifuge
The sample is centrifuged so that it splits into layers. The stromal vascular fraction is then isolated and mixed with platelet-rich plasma.
5Injection into the joint
The prepared material goes straight into the affected joint; ultrasound guidance helps position it precisely.
6Follow-up
No hospital stay and no crutches are needed. After the procedure, the doctor remains in touch and tracks how the joint responds.
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
The treatment relies solely on your own blood and adipose tissue — no donor or synthetic material
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.
Its main use is at early and moderate stages of osteoarthritis, to slow the wear of cartilage and lessen friction between the joint surfaces.
- 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
From a little of your blood, plasma rich in platelets and growth factors is separated and injected into the joint. It calms inflammation and gives tissue repair better conditions.
For mild osteoarthritis it is often used alone, and with SVF when the effect needs to be stronger.
- 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
Small and large joints are treated; the doctor determines the joint, method and number of injections after looking at your scans
KneeMeniscus issues, wearing cartilage, stairs and walking bring pain
HipEarly hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
ShoulderJoint and tendon wear around it, pain on lifting the arm
ElbowPain after overuse or sports strain, wear of the joint surfaces
Hand and wrist jointsPain with stiffness in the small joints of fingers and wrist
AnklePain 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
The treatment relies solely on your own blood and adipose tissue — no donor or synthetic material
No crutches
Local anaesthetic and small punctures in place of incisions — no long recovery programme or rehabilitation
Second opinion
Send your reports, X-rays or MRI, and a doctor will independently assess them free of charge
Support after the procedure
We stay in contact once the procedure is done and follow the result beyond 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
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
Osteoarthritis treatment prices
Since the joint, the method and the stage of osteoarthritis determine the cost, it is named by the doctor 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
Doctors usually describe four stages, from early thinning of the cartilage to severe wear. Injection treatment is most often considered in the early and middle stages; the doctor decides after reviewing your X-ray or MRI.
It means gradual wear of the cartilage on the ends of the bones in a joint. With thinning cartilage the joint loses cushioning, bones rub against each other and pain, stiffness and crunching set in — a degenerative, not an inflammatory, condition.
Frequently yes, if treatment is not delayed. With SVF and PRP injections the aim is pain relief and cartilage support without an operation. Joint replacement remains the last option, used when the joint is already destroyed.
Many patients report the first changes 2–3 weeks after the procedure. A stable result develops over about six months and lasts from several months to several years depending on the individual. Because osteoarthritis is chronic, the approach is an ongoing plan rather than a single injection.
When osteoarthritis is at an early or moderate stage. A milder stage generally brings a faster, longer-lasting effect and may reduce the need for regular hyaluronic acid injections; at the most advanced stage, with almost no joint space left, a lasting effect cannot be expected.
The joints that carry the most load: the knees, hips and ankles, as well as the small joints of the hand and the spine. Regenerative treatment is used for all of these joints.
It usually moves forward: the pain stops going away, movement is more and more limited, the joint may deform and walking may get difficult. Early diagnosis, weight control, exercise and a doctor's involvement make a real difference.
The main tool is an X-ray, showing the stage. For detail on cartilage and soft tissues there is MRI; ultrasound reveals inflammation and fluid in the joint; blood tests help rule out inflammatory conditions. The doctor can look at results you already have free of charge.
In osteoarthritis the cartilage wears, causing aching pain on movement, crunching and stiffness after rest; in arthritis the joint is inflamed, with pain at rest and at night, swelling, redness and warmth. The treatment approach differs, so diagnosis is the first step.
Yes. After you send X-rays, MRI or test results, a doctor reviews them free of charge, gauges the stage of osteoarthritis and proposes a non-surgical plan if it suits your case.
You can, and you should. Suitable activity builds the muscles that unload the joint, feeds the cartilage better and keeps you moving. Choose swimming, water aerobics, cycling, Nordic walking or yoga, and avoid running on hard surfaces, jumping, heavy lifting and sudden movements.
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.
At early stages, PRP or SVF injections combined with exercise therapy and physiotherapy can reduce pain and improve movement. If the joint is already badly damaged, replacement may be the more realistic option — the doctor will tell you honestly after seeing your scans.
At early stages (1–2), SVF therapy may be considered to support blood supply to the femoral head and delay the need for joint replacement. At later stages surgery is usually required.