Orthopedic trinity: Arthroscopy, sports medicine, and regenerative orthopedics

Table 1 Comparative analysis of key features

Parameter	Arthroscopy	Sports medicine	Regenerative orthopedics
Core approach[14]	Surgical, mechanical correction	Conservative, functional optimization	Biological repair and modulation
Primary setting[14]	Operating room	Clinic/rehabilitation center	Outpatient or laboratory
Training background[10]	Surgical fellowship	Rehabilitation medicine	Molecular biology
Intervention tools[22]	Arthroscope, surgical instruments	Exercise equipment, assessment tools	PRP, BMAC, scaffolds
Common indications[22]	Meniscal tear, ACL rupture	Chronic pain, movement dysfunction	Early OA, partial tendon tears
Success metrics[10]	Structural repair	Functional scores	Biological markers
Invasiveness[14]	Minimally invasive	Non-invasive	Minimally invasive
Time to benefit[14]	Immediate	Gradual	Delayed
Failure management[22]	Revision surgery	Modified protocols	Alternative biologics
Cost considerations[14]	High equipment and OR costs	Moderate, ongoing therapy	High processing and materials
Evidence strength[22]	Strong for structural lesions	Moderate to strong	Emerging, variable
Accessibility (India)[34]	Limited to urban centers	Variable, developing	Growing, unregulated

The evidence strength categories presented in this table are intended as overall statements reflecting the general status of the available literature for each therapeutic intervention within the specialty concerned. They do not represent a certaintybased grading system (e.g., Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) but rather a broad synthesis of the prevailing evidence landscape. ACL: Anterior cruciate ligament; BMAC: Bone marrow aspirate concentrate; OA: Osteoarthritis; OR: Operating room; PRP: Platelet-rich plasma.

Table 2 Salient features of orthopedic trinity

Specialty	Availability[34]	Infrastructure requirements[24]	Economic model[25]	Insurance coverage[37]	System integration[17]
Arthroscopy	Urban and corporate hospitals; scarce in smaller cities	Dedicated ORs; HD imaging; surgical teams; post-op rehab	High initial cost; predictable outcomes	Established for approved procedures	Tertiary care for complex surgeries
Sports medicine	Major sports academies; few formal training sites	Functional assessment tools; movement analysis; exercise therapy facilities	Moderate cost; long-term gains	Limited; requires policy development	Secondary care for injury management
Regenerative medicine	Growing presence; inconsistent standards	Laboratory prep; clean rooms; storage/handling; R&D infrastructure	Variable cost; outcome uncertainty	Minimal; pending robust efficacy evidence	Specialized research-clinical centers

HD: High definition; OR: Operating room; R&D: Research and development.