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SVF and PRP for Osteoarthritis in Utrecht

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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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, also called arthrosis, is a chronic condition in which the cartilage lining a joint gradually thins and wears away. Cartilage works as a shock absorber; as it breaks down, the bones start to rub against each other, causing pain, stiffness and a smaller range of movement. It is a degenerative rather than an inflammatory disease, although flare-ups with swelling do 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

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: a fever, a cold or flu, or skin inflammation 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 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

An examination of the joint and a review of your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound let the doctor decide if the procedure is suitable. Existing scans can be sent in advance of the visit.

Blood sample for PRP2

Blood sample for PRP

A little blood is drawn from a vein; platelet-rich plasma with growth factors is prepared from it later.

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 centrifuge spins the sample until it separates into layers; the isolated stromal vascular fraction is then mixed with the platelet-rich plasma.

Injection into the joint5

Injection into the joint

Under ultrasound guidance the prepared material is injected straight into the affected joint, which helps to place it precisely.

Follow-up6

Follow-up

You go without crutches and without a hospital stay; the doctor keeps in touch afterwards and follows 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

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

Cell therapy (SVF) from your own adipose tissue

A little of your adipose tissue is taken and processed so that the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) can be separated: cells that help tissues repair. This is combined with your own plasma and injected into the joint affected by the disease.

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

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

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

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

Book a consultation

Joints

Joints we treat

Large and small joints alike. The joint, the technique and the number of injections are chosen by the doctor based on your scans

  • KneeKneeWorn cartilage and meniscus problems; pain after walking and on the stairs
  • HipHipEarly hip osteoarthritis, groin pain, limited rotation
  • ShoulderShoulderPain while raising the arm and wear of the joint and its tendons
  • ElbowElbowPain after sports strain or overuse, plus wear of the joint surfaces
  • Hand and wrist jointsHand and wrist jointsSmall finger and wrist joints that are stiff and painful
  • AnkleAnklePain and stiffness after sprains and old injuries

Advantages

Why patients choose City Medical Centre

We work on keeping your own joint rather than replacing it — 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

No long rehabilitation: local anaesthetic and punctures instead of incisions

Second opinion

Second opinion

Send us your MRI, X-rays or reports for an independent assessment by a doctor at no cost

Support after the procedure

Support after the procedure

After the procedure, we keep in touch and watch the result — our work does not end on the injection day

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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Request a free call

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

Other services of our clinic

Osteoarthritis in Utrecht: from X-ray to follow-up

Osteoarthritis, also called arthrosis, is a chronic condition in which the cartilage of a joint gradually thins and wears away. For patients from Utrecht, it usually shows as aching pain on movement, stiffness after rest and crunching in the joint.

The procedure does not require crutches or a hospital stay. Patients from Utrecht return to normal daily activity within a day or two and receive recommendations on load for the first weeks.

Knee or hip osteoarthritis? Patients from Utrecht can send their X-rays or MRI and get a free assessment of the stage and a clear answer on suitable treatment and its price.

A growing city and the joints that carry it

Utrecht had 378,140 inhabitants on 1 January 2026, and the municipality expects about 400,000 by 2030, 450,000 by 2039 and 488,000 by 2045. A larger and ageing population in any city means more people noticing that stairs, long walks or a morning start have become uncomfortable. Osteoarthritis (arthrosis) is a slow, chronic wearing of the cartilage that lines the joint. Healthy cartilage softens impact; when it thins, the bones rub on each other and the joint hurts, stiffens and moves less.

Knees (gonarthrosis) and hips (coxarthrosis) are affected most, because they carry the greatest load. The ankle and the small joints of the hand follow. It is a degenerative condition rather than an inflammatory one, although flare-ups with swelling do happen. That difference matters, because arthritis, with pain at rest and at night, morning stiffness and a hot, red joint, is treated with a different approach, and diagnosis comes first.

The city is also young in places. About 67,000 students study in Utrecht, and Hogeschool Utrecht alone has around 37,000. Young adults rarely think about cartilage, but old sports injuries, sprains and meniscus damage can lay the ground for wear years later. The same joint conditions, from early thinning to late wear, appear across all ages, so the first question is always the stage of the joint rather than the age on the passport.

Bicycles, club sport and the load on cartilage

According to the figures available, 51% of journeys within Utrecht are made by bicycle, more than by any other mode, and the bicycle parking station by Central Station holds 12,500 bicycles. Cycling is a gentle, low-impact way to keep knees and hips moving, and the service text lists cycling among the sensible activities for people with osteoarthritis, alongside swimming, water aerobics, Nordic walking and yoga. Muscles that unload the joint and better nourishment of the cartilage are the reasons exercise is advised, not rest.

Sport adds another kind of load. SV Kampong has 4,500 members and is described as the largest amateur sports club in the Netherlands. For members who play pivoting, jumping or running sports, the doctor will usually ask about old injuries, because the text names running on hard surfaces, jumping, heavy lifting and sudden movements as things to avoid once a joint is already painful. Physical work with repeated heavy lifting falls in the same category.

Recovery after injuries and operations is one of the situations in which the treatment is considered. The doctor looks at your X-ray, MRI or ultrasound and decides whether the joint suits an injection approach. Pain, crunching or stiffness, painkillers that help only briefly, and a wish to avoid or postpone joint replacement are the typical reasons people ask for a review.

Cold, damp months and a stiff morning joint

At the De Bilt station, January has a mean maximum of 6.1 °C and a mean minimum of 0.9 °C; February reaches 7.0 °C and 0.7 °C, and December 6.7 °C and 1.6 °C. Relative humidity is 82% over the year and 89% in November and December. There are about 25 snow days a year, six each in January and February and five in December. Sunshine falls to 55.5 hours in December and 66.6 hours in January, against 213.9 hours in July.

Many people with osteoarthritis report that stiffness after rest feels worse in damp, short winter days. The service text describes stiffness after rest as a typical sign of cartilage wear, in contrast to the pain at rest and at night that points to inflammation. We do not claim that the weather causes the condition; it is simply a season in which the joint is noticed more, and when everyone tends to move less. A joint that is moved less gets less nourishment, so a winter routine of gentle cycling, swimming or yoga is worth planning.

Mid-November brings the four-day Le Guess Who? festival across venues in the city, and the Netherlands Film Festival fills September and October. Long evenings standing or sitting in a cinema seat can be a small test for an aching knee or hip. If you notice that a joint locks up after sitting, that is a useful detail to describe to the doctor at the consultation, together with how long the stiffness lasts in the morning.

Body weight, the national figures and what they mean for joints

Body weight is one of the factors named in the service text that influence how long the effect of treatment lasts, together with the stage of the condition and activity level. National statistics show why this is relevant. According to CBS, 50.4% of Dutch adults aged 18 and over were overweight in 2024 (BMI of 25 or more), and 15.7% of them were obese (BMI of 30 or more). In 2014 the figures were 49.4% and 13.3%. CBS also reports that in 2023, 16% of adults aged 20 and over were obese, three times the 5% of the early 1980s.

Knees and hips carry the weight of the whole body with every step, so a lower weight eases the load. The text speaks of early diagnosis, weight control, exercise and working closely with a doctor as the things that make a real difference. In the Netherlands, bariatric surgery for adults is included in the basic package only under strict conditions, and a lifestyle programme (GLI) is typically tried first. That shows how seriously weight is treated as a health matter, but it is a separate topic from joint treatment.

Our doctors do not ask anyone to reach a certain weight before a consultation. What the doctor reviews is the joint itself: the X-ray for the stage, the MRI for cartilage and soft tissue, the ultrasound for fluid and inflammation, and blood tests where needed to rule out inflammatory disease. Weight, activity and other factors then help to set realistic expectations about how long the effect may last.

Insurance, the deductible and how to prepare questions

Dutch basic insurance works on the principle of a medical reason. The national institute Zorginstituut Nederland states, for plastic surgery, that care is covered only where there is a medical indication, and that some insurers require prior approval (machtiging). The mandatory annual deductible (eigen risico) applies to covered care, while GP care is exempt. Those pages concern other procedures and say nothing about injection therapy for joints, so we do not state what your insurer will or will not reimburse for this treatment. The practical step is to ask your own insurer directly before you decide.

The consultation and the review of your scans are free of charge and carry no obligation. Send your X-rays, MRI or ultrasound to the coordinator on WhatsApp or Telegram, where answers come round the clock, and a doctor will assess them independently. The doctor quotes the cost for a plan only after the review, because it depends on the joint, the method and the stage of osteoarthritis.

Public holidays in the Netherlands, such as King's Day on 27 April and Liberation Day on 5 May, can slow down the opening of your usual healthcare providers when you want to collect scan reports. Messaging the coordinator is not affected by them, so you can send the images you already have at any time and have them reviewed before you decide on anything else.

How the procedure itself goes and what follows

The treatment uses your own blood and your own adipose tissue; nothing donor or synthetic is used. A small blood sample is taken from a vein to prepare platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Under local anaesthetic the doctor collects roughly 30 ml of adipose tissue through a puncture on the abdomen or the inner thigh, and stitches are not needed. The sample is spun in a centrifuge, the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) is isolated and blended with the plasma, and the material is injected into the affected joint under ultrasound guidance. The whole procedure is done in one day.

Afterwards there are no crutches and no hospital stay. In the first week the joint may ache a little more, which is an expected reaction. After about a month the pain usually eases, mobility and activity improve at around three months, and the full effect develops at about six months. Some patients notice early changes after 2–3 weeks. How long it lasts differs from person to person, and no one can promise a fixed result.

Osteoarthritis is chronic, so it needs an ongoing plan rather than a one-off injection. The doctor keeps in touch after the procedure and follows how the joint responds. The approach suits early and moderate stages best. In advanced cases, where the joint space has almost disappeared, a lasting effect cannot be expected, and the doctor will say frankly if a joint replacement is the more realistic option.

Does the Dutch winter make osteoarthritis worse?

The weather does not cause osteoarthritis, which is wear of the cartilage. Many people simply notice stiffness after rest more in cold, damp months. De Bilt has January highs of 6.1 °C and humidity of 89% in November and December. Keeping moving with swimming, cycling or yoga is the usual advice, and the doctor can judge your joint from your scans.

Is cycling around Utrecht good or bad for a painful knee?

Cycling is among the activities listed as suitable for people with osteoarthritis, because it builds the muscles that unload the joint and feeds the cartilage. Running on hard surfaces, jumping and heavy lifting are the things to avoid. If cycling itself causes sharp pain, describe it to the doctor during the consultation.

Will my Dutch basic insurance reimburse SVF or PRP injections?

We cannot say. The national guidance we looked at concerns other procedures, such as plastic and bariatric surgery, where a medical reason and sometimes prior approval (machtiging) are required. Ask your insurer directly, and remember the mandatory deductible (eigen risico) applies to covered care, while GP care is exempt.

Can I send scans I already have from Dutch healthcare providers?

Yes. X-rays, MRI or ultrasound reports can be sent to the coordinator on WhatsApp or Telegram, and a doctor reviews them free of charge. The review establishes the stage of osteoarthritis and whether a non-surgical plan seems appropriate. If you do not have scans yet, the coordinator will explain which ones are most useful.

Does body weight affect whether the treatment will work?

Body weight is one of the factors that influence how long the effect lasts, together with the stage, activity and other individual features. It does not decide eligibility alone. The doctor reviews the joint and explains what to expect. Weight control and exercise are part of the long-term plan for a chronic condition.

I play club sport in Utrecht. Should I stop completely?

Not necessarily. Suitable activity helps the joint, while running on hard surfaces, jumping, heavy lifting and sudden movements are best avoided once the joint hurts. After the consultation the doctor can tell you how to adjust your training to the stage seen on your scans.

Which months are most convenient for the procedure?

The procedure takes one day, with no crutches and no hospital stay, so the season matters little. Plan around temporary reasons to postpone: a raised temperature, a cold or flu, or inflamed skin above the joint. A winter cold would therefore mean waiting until you are well.

Who should not have the treatment?

It is not suitable for cancer, pregnancy, blood clotting disorders, acute infections, including infection in or near the joint, or a flare-up of a serious chronic illness. A doctor decides after examining you and reviewing your scans.