Orthopaedic doctors have a valuable tool in their surgical tool box for those who suffer with big toe arthritic joint pain. Since August 2016, when the FDA approved the Cartiva Synthetic Cartilage Implant, surgery patients receiving the implant report relief from pain and restored mobility. Although synthetic cartilage implants have been successfully used in Canada and the United Kingdom since 2002, their availability in the US has been lagging. Prior to 2016 and FDA approval, patients who sought remedy for their big toe arthritis were limited to having surgical fusion which resulted in stiffness and the loss of mobility. With the coming of Cartiva cartilage their prognosis has been vastly improved.
