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Is Fibrillation of the Knee the Same As Arthritis?

Fibrillation of the knee is a softening and formation of gaps in the cartilage of the knee joint. While it can be caused by osteoarthritis and is a part of that disease, it is only one symptom of that condition.

  1. Fibrillation and Arthritis

    • Arthritis refers to the whole process of joint decay, while fibrillation is just one stage in the process, so they are not the same thing.

    Fibrillation

    • Fibrillation refers to the forming of the cartilage in a joint into fibrils, or fine fibers. This change happens because the cartilage begins to soften and contract, leaving gaps between cartilage threads.

    Arthritis and Cartilage

    • Arthritis is a condition focused around the swelling of joints. Osteoarthritis is caused by the decay of the cartilage that separates two bones in a joint, causing them to scrape against and damage each other.

    The Fibrillation Stage

    • Fibrillation is the stage of joint decay just before the cartilage begins to completely give way. When fibrillation occurs, there is still cartilage separating the two bones, but holes are starting to form in it.

    Treatment

    • Surgical intervention can repair some of the damage to the cartilage, but a complete recovery is unlikely once fibrillation has occurred.

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