Stone Research Foundation Study Reveals Biologic Joint Repair May Delay Or Prevent The Need For Artificial Knee Joint Replacement

Main Category: Bones / Orthopedics
Also Included In: Biology / Biochemistry
Article Date: 22 Jul 2010 - 1:00 PDT

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The Stone Research Foundation released findings of the longest and largest study of its kind on biologic knee joint repair. The study is published in July's issue of The British Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. Study findings indicate that arthritic patients can forestall, or in some cases, avoid, total knee replacement with artificial joints by opting for meniscal allograft transplantations performed concurrently with articular cartilage repair. The techniques replace worn meniscus with donated tissue and use the patient's own stem cells for repair.

These research results could help significantly impact the ever-growing practice of artificial knee replacement. The number of artificial joint replacement surgeries is predicted to increase to 3.4 million by 2030, with proportionate increases in cost as the baby boomer population ages. "Biologic joint repair represents the frontier of regenerative medicine," said study author Dr. Kevin Stone. "Patients often ask 'isn't there a shock absorber you can put into my knee?' They're not ready for an artificial joint." Dr. Stone teaches biologic techniques to surgeons around the world.

The biologic orthopaedic movement has gained momentum in the U.S., Thailand, Switzerland, South Africa, and the Netherlands. Dr. Markus P. Arnold, Senior Consultant for Orthobiology and Cartilage Repair at University Hospital in the Netherlands commented, "I am convinced of the bio-future." At the recent annual meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Dr. Jack Farr lectured on the topic to surgeons from around the country.

The report by the Stone Research Foundation, is based on a study of 119 meniscal allograft transplantations performed concurrently with articular cartilage repair in 115 patients with severe articular cartilage damage. The Kaplan-Meier estimated mean survival time for the whole series was 9.9 years. Loss of the meniscus generates increased forces on the articular cartilage of the knee and other joint structures and increases the risk of the development of arthritis. The appropriate treatment for loss of the meniscus with unicompartmental arthritis remains controversial, with treatments including osteotomy, unicompartmental (UKR) or total knee replacement. The study was approved by an independent Institutional Review Board. The study abstract is available via The British Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery or at http://www.stoneresearch.org. Co-authors of the study with Dr. Stone are Ann W. Walgenbach, RNNP; Wendy Adelson, MS; Jonathan Pelsis, MHP; and Tom Turek of The Stone Research Foundation, San Francisco.

Source:
The Stone Research Foundation

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