When Dr. Rachel Frank explains cartilage transplantation to her patients, she tells them the purpose is to improve their quality of life by reducing pain in the damaged area and improving function.
By that token, the surgery Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog underwent Wednesday is “incredibly successful in the vast majority of patients,” said Frank, an orthopedic surgeon and Colorado Rapids team physician who specializes in cartilage and joint restoration.
The $42 million question in the Avalanche’s case is whether Landeskog’s surgery can be effective with a more ambitious end goal.
“For an elite athlete or professional athlete, the definition of success is certainly going to include those things,” Frank said, “but also includes the ability to get back to playing that sport at that (elite) level.