Biologics News

SAN DIEGO — Use of a bio-inductive collagen scaffold patch may improve healing rates of large and massive rotator cuff repairs as new tendon formation was shown on ultrasound and MRI, according to data presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting.

BARCELONA, Spain — Patients with avascular necrosis of the femoral head were satisfied after treatment that included arthroscopy to stage the condition, followed by core decompression and the application of bone morphogenetic protein or bone marrow aspirate concentrate, according to a surgeon from Dubai who presented results at the EFORT Annual Congress, here.

João Espregueira-Mendes, MD, PhD, is the chairman of Clínica do Dragão at the Espregueira-Mendes Sports Centre, a FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence at the FC Porto Stadium. Espregueira-Mendes is also chairman and professor of orthopaedic sports medicine in the orthopaedic department of Minho University. He sits on several boards for foundations and educational institutions devoted to orthopaedic surgery and sports traumatology.

In a few days the 19th EFORT Congress will take place in Barcelona. The scientific and educational program has been finalized for several months and another exciting meeting awaits us.

Historically, second-look arthroscopy has been used to assess healing in the knee joint postoperatively for research and non-research purposes. However, due to some of its risks and complications, as well as recent advances that have yielded better imaging of tissue and structures, orthopedic surgeons have looked for good alternatives to follow-up knee arthroscopy.

Click here to read the Cover Story, “Time to take another look at second-look knee arthroscopy.”

Articular cartilage stands to benefit the most from stem cell therapy. While stem cells have been identified in nearly every human tissue, articular cartilage contains few regenerative cells. Cartilage is avascular and is devoid of a perivascular (pericyte) stem cell population, so when injury occurs, there is little response from the cartilage tissue itself. Migrating synovial cells may contribute to the body’s often-inadequate healing response.

Under the supervision of EFORT Fora Chair Prof. George Macheras from Athens, EFORT is organizing 10 European Fora each year. Launched in 2002, the project aims at organizing specific EFORT symposia during the annual congresses of our member national societies.

Treating symptomatic osteochondral defects is challenging, especially in young adults with deep (>8-mm to 10-mm deep), empty defects after osteochondritis dissecans or collapsed condyles secondary to avascular necrosis. For this population, osteoarthritis is inevitable if articular congruence is not restored. Fragment removal of an osteochondritis dissecans lesion produces an incongruous joint surface, which uniformly leads to OA. Once a femoral condyle with avascular necrosis collapses (Ficat stage 3), OA ensues. Moreover, once defects deepen to more than 8-mm to 15-mm deep and have associated subchondral cystic and sclerotic bone changes, restoration of the osteochondral unit requires bone and cartilage restoration.

NEW ORLEANS — The next steps for meaningful and continued progress in the introduction of regenerative medicine and biologics for orthopedic conditions should include the dissemination of information and research results, according to orthopedic surgeons here at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting.