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Study finds biodegradable hydrogel implant improves knee cartilage defects
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Researchers from Israel have found that the use of a biodegradable hydrogel implant after microfracture improved knee function and clinical outcomes for patients with knee cartilage defects at 2-year follow-up.
“These results are particularly strong when you compare them against those achieved through standard procedures, such as microfracture, which increase the flow of blood and bone marrow stem cells to the damaged area,” Ron Arbel, MD, from Tel Aviv, Israel, stated in a press release.
Arbel and colleagues administered GelrinC (Regentis Biomaterials; Princeton, N.J.) on 23 patients in Europe and Israel and measured their Knee Injury Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score at baseline. At 18 months, the mean KOOS improved by 23.6 points. At 24 months, KOOS improved to 32.9 points. IKDC scores improved by 86% at 18 months and 94% at 24 months, according to the release.
An additional 30 patients are currently enrolled at 12 sites in Germany, Belgium, Poland, the Netherlands and Israel.
Reference:
Arbel R. Session #18.3.2. Presented at: International Cartilage Repair Society World Congress, Sept. 15 – 18, 2013; Izmir, Turkey.
Disclosure: Arbel is a paid consultant for and receives stock options from active implants. He receives research support from active implants and Regentis.