BASEBALL’S NEXT MIRACLE SURGERY

Posted On February 1, 2017 By OrthoSpineNews In Biologics, Sports Medicine /

1-30-2017 – by Will Carroll

“It’s a game changer.”

That phrase is often just hype, but when you hear it come from not one, but four of the top orthopedic surgeons in the country, it’s time to take note.

True changes in sports medicine come about once in a generation. Tommy John surgery, the arthroscope, the use of orthobiologic agents like PRP — these innovations are now part of the sports medicine landscape, and regularly help athletes come back from injuries that were career-altering or even career-ending not that long ago.

The latest new method isn’t on the drawing board; it’s in athletes already. And we’re about to see a lot more of it.

The innovation is really a product, not a surgery. It’s called SutureTape and it’s made by Arthrex, the large medical device manufacturer, after consultation with some of the top orthopedic surgeons. It’s use in surgery is called “InternalBrace.” The tape is affixed during surgery to brace a ligament or reconstruction as it heals, allowing early load and sometimes even return to play prior to complete biologic healing.

Many of the surgeons who consulted Arthrex on the development of SutureTape were on the stage at the recent Lewis Yocum Baseball Medicine Conference, run by the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic and super-surgeon Neil ElAttrache’s staff. A discussion among ElAttrache, Dr. John Conway of the Ben Hogan Clinic in Fort Worth, Dr. Orr Limpisvasti and Dr. Steven Shin of Kerlan-Jobe showed just how much potential this has.

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Intralink-Spine’s Réjuve Treatment Nears Completion Of Safety Study And Begins Multi-Site Pivotal Study

Posted On January 31, 2017 By OrthoSpineNews In Sports Medicine /

January 31, 2017 – LEXINGTON, Ky.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

With extremely positive clinical results at the six-month juncture from its early safety and feasibility study in Malaysia, Intralink-Spine, Inc. (ILS) confirms that the Réjuve™ System is now poised to begin its multi-site pivotal study beginning with sites in Southeast Asia.

“After a six-month period, patients have had excellent results from the Réjuve treatment,” says Lyle Hawkins, CEO of Intralink-Spine, Inc. “Think of it, these patients with chronic low back pain are now enjoying a better quality of life from just one treatment of Réjuve. They’re enjoying activities like hiking, rock climbing, and golf. And, these patients were enjoying their improved quality of life within days after the treatment; so, the positive effects of Réjuve are as expected, both rapid and long-lasting,” says Hawkins. (Message from CEO)

“Two of the four patients with six-month data have no pain or disability. A third patient has only mild pain (67% reduction) and zero disability at 6 months. All five of the patients at three-months and 75% at six-months have excellent results (both VAS and ODI decreased more than 50% from baseline). I’d say that is an exceptional start to our clinical studies of this injectable device,” says Dr. Tom Hedman, Ph.D., the inventor and Adjunct Associate Professor in the F. Joseph Halcomb III, M.D. Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Kentucky. “We’ve demonstrated the safety of this device, and based on my 30-plus years of experience in this field, the prospects for this revolutionary microinvasive treatment are unique compared to all other existing and emerging surgical and minimally invasive treatments for degenerative disc disease and chronic low back pain.”

“These patients are doing remarkably well following a relatively simple image-guided procedure. Even the one patient with moderate pain claims to be better than prior to the procedure,” states orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Harwant Singh from the Pantai Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ”I’m excited to continue my participation in the multi-site study.”

“About 80 percent of the adults in the U.S. experience significant back pain at some point in their life and most back pain sufferers find no relief. In fact, low back pain (LBP) is a challenging condition to treat, which is why we’re excited about our data thus far and another reason we’re eager to begin our multi-site study,” states Hawkins.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170131005896/en/

Allosource Announces The Annual Dr. Steven Gitelis Inspiration Award

Posted On January 26, 2017 By OrthoSpineNews In Biologics, Sports Medicine /

CENTENNIAL, Colo., Jan. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — AlloSource, one of the nation’s largest providers of cartilage, cellular, bone, skin and soft-tissue allografts for use in surgical procedures and wound care to advance patient healing, announced the creation of the Dr. Steven Gitelis Inspiration Award. The award honors a doctor or clinician that inspires AlloSource through his or her work in treating patients with donated human allografts. Dr. Brian Cole of Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush University Medical Center is the inaugural 2017 recipient.

The award’s namesake, Dr. Steven Gitelis, is one of the founding physicians of AlloSource, recognizing the need for donated human tissue to heal patients through his work at Rush University Medical Center. Through his decades as a highly regarded orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Gitelis used donated human tissue in complex surgical procedures. He understands the selfless gift of human tissue donation and passes along that gratitude to his patients.

“I’m honored and humbled to have this award named after me,” said Dr. Gitelis. “Dr. Cole and I share the same commitment to advancing medicine for patients and AlloSource has been an important part of this journey.”

Inaugural award recipient Dr. Cole uses allografts to help his patients heal from a variety of injuries and understands the importance of the gift of tissue donation. He is a Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics and a physician at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in Chicago, Illinois. He holds a dual appointment as Professor in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and was appointed as Chairman of Surgery at Rush’s Oak Park Hospital in 2011.

“Dr. Cole has been a great partner to AlloSource and a staunch advocate for the use of allografts,” said AlloSource President & CEO, Thomas Cycyota. “We appreciate his dedication to his patients and advancing the science of medicine. Dr. Cole, like Dr. Gitelis, provides healing not only to his patients, but also to tissue donor families by giving them the knowledge that their loved one lives on through donation.”

Founded in 1994, AlloSource is inspired by tissue donors to improve patient healing and advance medicine, serving as a trusted partner for cellular and tissue therapies. By focusing on quality, safety, service and a commitment to its mission, AlloSource has grown into one of the nations’ largest tissue networks in the country.

About AlloSource
AlloSource is one of the largest nonprofit cellular and tissue networks in the country, offering more than 200 types of precise cartilage, cellular, bone, skin and soft-tissue allografts to advance patient healing. For more than 20 years, AlloSource’s products have bridged the proven science of allografts with the advanced technology of cells, offering life-saving and life-enhancing possibilities in spine, sports medicine, foot and ankle, orthopedic, reconstructive, trauma and wound care procedures. As the world’s largest processor of cellular bone allografts, fresh cartilage tissue for joint repair and skin allografts to help heal severe burns, AlloSource delivers unparalleled expertise and service to its growing network of surgeons, partners, and the country’s most reputable organ procurement organizations. The company is accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks and is headquartered in Centennial, CO. For more information, please visit allosource.org or our educational website, allograftpossibilities.org.

Media Contact
Megan Duggan
AlloSource
720. 382. 2766
mduggan@allosource.org

Arthroscopy market to surpass $5.7 billion by 2023 as sports injuries are on the rise, says GlobalData

Posted On January 25, 2017 By OrthoSpineNews In Financial, Sports Medicine /

25 January 2017

The arthroscopy market, which covers 39 countries and includes implant and capital equipment, is set to rise from $4.19 billion in 2016 to $5.73 billion by 2023, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.6%, according to research and consulting firm GlobalData.

The company’s latest report states that this growth will be driven by the rising prevalence of sports injury, which is growing at a CAGR of 6.3% and is primarily caused by intense and repetitive training in major markets like the US and China. Other drivers include rising obesity rates, an aging population and the trend towards more innovative minimally-invasive techniques, reducing cost and recovery time for patients.

Tobe Madu, MSc, GlobalData’s Analyst covering Medical Devices, explains: “Sports medicine technology is built on minimally-invasive arthroscopic implants and equipment, and these will continue to drive the market, as well as other orthopedic segments. As both a technique-driven and an implant-based field, there are arthroscopic products continuously entering the market for difficult-to-access joints, and smaller implants for smaller repairs.

“Materials development has been a key interest for physicians, as they look for more durable and biocompatible implant materials. For example, knee cartilage injuries have driven the development of products for meniscal repair, while anterior cruciate ligament and posterior cruciate ligament injuries have inspired biocomposite and bioresorbable interference screws.”

While healthcare spending as reflected by reimbursement rates is expected to go down globally, the market outlook remains strong in western countries, as substantial growth in new indications will drive up procedure numbers. Meanwhile, countries such as Brazil, China, and India, will continue to see adoption of arthroscopic products as surgeon training improves and newer economical products are introduced in the market, according to GlobalData.

Madu continues: “As disposable surgical products turn into commodities, buyer decision will become increasingly price sensitive. Despite this development, market leaders such as Arthrex and Stryker, who maintain a culture of innovation and service while delivering cost-effective products, will stay ahead of competitors.

“The most significant area of growth is in hip arthroscopy, where global revenue is expected to increase by a CAGR of 14.5% during the forecast period.”

Editor’s notes

– Comments provided by Tobe Madu, MSc, GlobalData’s Analyst covering Medical Devices.

– Information based on GlobalData’s report: MediPoint: Sports Medicine – Global Analysis and Market Forecasts.

– This report was built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research, and in-house analysis conducted by GlobalData’s team of industry experts. The 39 major markets include the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, Japan, Brazil, China, India, South Korea, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Russia, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Taiwan, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.

– For guidelines on how to cite GlobalData, please see: https://healthcare.globaldata.com/media-center/quoting-globaldata

About GlobalData

GlobalData is a leading global research and consulting firm offering advanced analytics to help clients make better, more informed decisions every day. Our research and analysis is based on the expert knowledge of over 700 qualified business analysts and 25,000 interviews conducted with industry insiders every year, enabling us to offer the most relevant, reliable and actionable strategic business intelligence available for a wide range of industries.

For more information

Please get in contact if you have any questions about this or other GlobalData products. Analysts are available to comment. Contact the GlobalData press office +44 (0)161 359 5822 or email pr@globaldata.com

Stryker Brings Mobility Zone To Farmers Insurance Open To Kick Off 2017 Tournament Schedule, Its First-Ever Activation In Southern California

Posted On January 24, 2017 By OrthoSpineNews In Recon, Sports Medicine /

MAHWAH, N.J., Jan. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Stryker Orthopaedics kicks off its fourth consecutive year as the “Official Joint Replacement Products of the PGA TOUR® and PGA TOUR Champions” this week with an appearance at the Farmers Insurance Open in La Jolla, Calif., starting Thursday and marking the first time the company has activated in the Southern California market. Throughout the season, Stryker will continue to advance its mission to educate golf fans about the importance of joint health with a newly designed Mobility Zone, featuring an enhanced Stryker Challenge.

As the premiere feature of the Mobility Zone, the new Stryker Challenge will invite visitors to take a shot at surgery with a hands-on experience introducing Art H. Ritis, a life-size model that aims to provide tournament goers a basic understanding of joint replacement surgery and Stryker’s products. The revamped Mobility Zone allows visitors to speak with local surgeons to further understand potential treatment options for joint pain. In addition, fans will have the opportunity to enter for the chance to win a trip for two to the TOUR Championship and walk inside the ropes as an Honorary Observer.^1,2

“We are excited to kick off another season and to present our new Mobility Zone and the 2017 Stryker Challenge,” said Bill Huffnagle, President, Stryker’s Joint Replacement Division. “These efforts we make here on the golf course with fans further proves that Stryker is dedicated to educating consumers across the nation about making important strides to better healthcare decisions.”

As a continuation of a successful relationship that began in 2015, Stryker will extend its collaboration with K9s For Warriors, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing service canines to military veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disability, traumatic brain injury or other military trauma as a result of military service post 9/11. Last year, the company donated five service dogs over the course of the year to veterans suffering from PTSD. In 2017 alongside K9s for Warriors, Stryker will give a new leash on life to military heroes by sponsoring service canines and empowering warriors to return to civilian life with dignity and independence. Fans at tournaments can also stop by the Mobility Zone to support the cause by purchasing the same hat that PGA TOUR professional and longtime brand ambassador, Fred Funk wears on TOUR. With each purchase, Stryker will make a donation to the K9s For Warriors organization.

To further encourage and motivate tournament goers to stay active on the course, Stryker will host the Health Walk at the Farmers Insurance Open. The Health Walk is an additional ongoing initiative the company offers at select TOUR events, providing insightful health tips and facts along the course for fans to follow as they watch rounds of golf.

For additional information on the Stryker Challenge as well as K9s For Warriors involvement, please visit: www.StrykerChallenge.com.

Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) are not eligible to enter the Stryker Challenge Sweepstakes or participate in any of these promotions. HCPs are defined as those individuals or entities involved in the provision of health care services and/or items to patients, which purchase, lease, recommend, use, arrange for the purchase or lease of, or prescribe Stryker’s products.
No purchase necessary to enter or win Sweepstakes. Void where prohibited by law. For official rules visit StrykerChallenge.com. Open to legal residents of the US & US Territories, 21+ as of date of entry. Sweepstakes begins at 12:01 am ET on 1/11/17 and ends at 11:59 pm ET on 8/27/17. Sponsored by Stryker.

About Stryker

Stryker is one of the world’s leading medical technology companies and, together with our customers, we are driven to make healthcare better. The Company offers a diverse array of innovative products and services in Orthopaedics, Medical and Surgical, and Neurotechnology and Spine that help improve patient and hospital outcomes. Stryker is active in over 100 countries around the world.

About PGA TOUR

The PGA TOUR is the world’s premier membership organization for touring professional golfers, co-sanctioning more than 130 tournaments on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Web.com Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR China.

The PGA TOUR’s mission is to entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, generate significant charitable and economic impact in the communities in which it plays, and provide financial opportunities for TOUR players.

Worldwide, PGA TOUR tournaments are broadcast to more than 1 billion households in 226 countries and territories in 32 languages. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations in order to maximize charitable giving. In 2015, tournaments across all Tours generated a record $160 million for local and national charitable organizations, bringing the all-time total to $2.3 billion.

The PGA TOUR’s web site is PGATOUR.COM, the No. 1 site in golf, and the organization is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

SOURCE Stryker Orthopaedics

Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute President Dr. Michael Greller Elected Chief of Staff at CentraState Medical Center

Posted On January 24, 2017 By OrthoSpineNews In Sports Medicine /

FREEHOLD, N.J., Jan. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — President Michael J. Greller, MD, FAAOS, CPE of AOSMI, a medical practice that offers a wide variety of orthopedic services, has been elected as Chief of Staff at CentraState Medical Center. The state-of-the-art facility includes an acute-care hospital, three senior living communities, and a health and wellness campus as parts of its nonprofit community health organization, in addition to a family medicine residency program.

Dr. Greller, a well-known medical professional, board certified orthopedic surgeon, and sports injury specialist, has been a member of the staff at CentraState Medical Center since 2000, serving as Chairman of Credentials and Vice Chairman of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery. He specializes in advanced treatment of orthopedic pain and rehabilitation and performs a variety of orthopedic surgical procedures. He was also one of the first New Jersey orthopedic surgeons to carry out computer-assisted joint replacements in the tri-state area and continues to train in the latest technologies to improve both patient outcomes and patient satisfaction. Dr. Greller’s main goal is to assist patients in achieving a thorough and speedy recovery while enhancing their overall sense of wellbeing.

In addition to his new role at CentraState, Dr. Greller will remain as President and Managing Partner at AOSMI. “Staying involved in direct practice is professionally rewarding; seeing patients growing stronger and regaining health is a great reminder of why we do what we do every day,” Greller explains. “But it is also important for orthopedic professionals in administrative roles to maintain a deep and current understanding of the patients our teams are treating.”

Greller also served as Secretary/Treasurer of the Medical Staff of CentraState and most recently served a term as Assistant Chief of Staff. His expertise and treatment specialties will be a significant asset to CentraState Medical Center, which is dedicated to excellence in serving the community. Dr. Greller’s expertise includes working with professional athletes, high-level Division 1 college athletes, and high school athletes. He also served as a team physician for the NY/NJ Comets, a National Pro Fastpitch women’s softball team, and as a physician for the US Open Tennis Tournament. Dr. Greller, an Associate Professor at Temple University in the School of Podiatric Medicine, also enjoys educating individuals in medicine and treatment of specific ailments.

To learn more about the services and professionals at AOSMI, you can visit their website, or call 732-720-2555. The practice is also active on social media, including Facebook and Twitter, or follow Dr. Greller directly on Twitter.

Media Contact Name: Brittany Maynard
Media Contact Email: 142912@email4pr.com
Media Phone Number: 732-720-2555

SOURCE Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute

Biology trumps bionics: An alternative to total knee replacement

Posted On January 23, 2017 By OrthoSpineNews In Biologics, Sports Medicine /

Published on January 20, 2017 – By Kevin R. Stone, M.D.

If you have severe knee pain or chronic knee inflammation and swelling which cannot be improved by minor surgery or physical therapy, a doctor may recommend that you have total knee replacement surgery. For many people, after years of agony, this operation is a godsend. The procedure relieves pain and greatly enhances their quality of life, allowing them to return to work and resume activities that they have not been able to enjoy in years.

But artificial knee replacements are not a perfect solution. Studies have shown that up to 50% of recipients still have some pain after the procedure. Surgeons are reluctant to perform knee replacements on younger people because the parts don’t last. Subsequent replacements are more complex and wear out even faster.

Many of the arthritic patients I see are under 70 years old and have years of playing sports and being active ahead of them. Therefore I like to do everything possible to rebuild their knee joint with biologic tissues rather than artificial materials to help delay the time in which an artificial joint replacement is necessary.

This regenerative approach to healing is the new frontier in modern medicine as researchers all over the world look for ways to rebuild and regenerate tissues and organs, harnessing the body’s natural ability to heal itself. In many cases these solutions are a long way off, but in orthopedics, we have been practicing them for years.

A BioKnee is an alternative to an artificial knee replacement. It combines three key procedures that rebuild, regenerate or biologically replace the damaged parts of the knee.

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Mayo Clinic finds surprising results on first-ever test of stem cell therapy to treat arthritis

Posted On December 28, 2016 By OrthoSpineNews In Biologics, Sports Medicine /

By Kevin Punsky – December 6, 2016

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Researchers at Mayo Clinic’s campus in Florida have conducted the world’s first prospective, blinded and placebo-controlled clinical study to test the benefit of using bone marrow stem cells, a regenerative medicine therapy, to reduce arthritic pain and disability in knees.

The researchers say such testing is needed because there are at least 600 stem cell clinics in the U.S. offering one form of stem cell therapy or another to an estimated 100,000-plus patients, who pay thousands of dollars, out of pocket, for the treatment, which has not undergone demanding clinical study.

The findings in The American Journal of Sports Medicine include an anomalous finding — patients not only had a dramatic improvement in the knee that received stem cells, but also in their other knee, which also had painful arthritis but received only a saline control injection. Each of the 25 patients enrolled in the study had two bad knees, but did not know which knee received the stem cells.

Given that the stem cell-treated knee was no better than the control-treated knee — both were significantly better than before the study began — the researchers say the stem cells’ effectiveness remains somewhat uninterpretable. They are only able to conclude the procedure is safe to undergo as an option for knee pain, but they cannot yet recommend it for routine arthritis care.

“Our findings can be interpreted in ways that we now need to test — one of which is that bone marrow stem cell injection in one ailing knee can relieve pain in both affected knees in a systemic or whole-body fashion,” says the study’s lead author, Shane Shapiro, M.D., a Mayo Clinic orthopedic physician.

“One hypothesis is that the stem cells we tested can home to areas of injury where they are needed, which makes sense, given that stem cells injected intravenously in cancer treatments end up in the patients’ bone marrow where they need to go,” he says. “This is just a theory that can explain our results, so it needs further testing.”

Another explanation is that merely injecting any substance into a knee offered relief from pain.

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OrthoSpace Announces Publication of Positive Results for the InSpace™ System in the Treatment of Massive Rotator Cuff Tears

Posted On December 20, 2016 By OrthoSpineNews In Sports Medicine /

CAESAREA, ISRAEL (PRWEB) DECEMBER 16, 2016

OrthoSpace Ltd. (“OrthoSpace” or “Company”) today announced a publication in the December issue of Musculoskeletal Surgery citing positive results for their InSpace System in the surgical treatment of massive rotator cuff tears (MRCTs). Patients undergoing the InSpace procedure experienced durable improvements in shoulder function and reductions in shoulder pain at 12 months of follow-up, demonstrating the benefits of InSpace as an effective alternative to existing surgical treatments.

The InSpace System consists of a biodegradable balloon spacer that is implanted in the subacromial space of the shoulder. InSpace is designed to address the challenges of MRCTs where surgery often fails and for which there is not current consensus or definitive guidelines for optimal surgical treatment. The procedure may be performed arthroscopically, or under fluoroscopy guidance, as presented in the study.

Patients with advanced age, diminished health status and comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease may be at a higher risk for complications when subjected to general anesthesia. The option to receive InSpace under fluoroscopy guidance addresses the unmet needs associated with this patient population, as the procedure is performed under local anesthesia.

“InSpace has been demonstrated to improve patient shoulder function and reduce pain in a difficult-to-treat population where conservative options have been exhausted and surgery under anesthesia would pose high risks to the patient,” said Enrico Gervasi, M.D., the study’s principal investigator and the Director of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery at Latisana Civil Hospital at Udine, Italy. “Further, the procedure is technically easy to perform, taking only ten minutes to deploy the spacer, and can be performed under local anesthesia in the outpatient setting.”

This ongoing clinical study of the InSpace System will ultimately enroll up to 45 patients, all of whom will be followed for up to 24 months. The study population consists of elderly patients who are not candidates for surgery under general anesthesia and who did not respond to conservative treatment, including steroid injections and physical therapy. This publication represents a planned interim analysis of the first 15 patients enrolled, who were considered evaluable upon reaching 12 months of follow-up. All 15 patients in this cohort experienced overall improvements in shoulder function, as measured by the Constant Score and the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Evaluation Form (ASES). Of these patients, 85% showed a clinically significant improvement in their Constant Score. Improvements were observed beginning at 6 weeks post treatment and sustained for at least 12 months post-treatment. Additionally, patients reported significant improvements in pain scores.

“We are pleased with these results from Dr. Gervasi and colleagues. These data reinforce and continue to build on the existing data supporting the use of InSpace for patients with massive rotator cuff tears,” said Itay Barnea, CEO of OrthoSpace. “The cases represent an unmet clinical need, and we are proud to offer additional surgical options for patients who are suffering from pain and immobility associated with this difficult indication.”

About OrthoSpace Ltd.

OrthoSpace is a privately held medical device company located in Caesarea, Israel. The Company’s product, InSpace, is an orthopedic biodegradable balloon system that is simple, safe and a minimally invasive method that addresses unmet clinical needs in rotator cuff repair. InSpace is CE Marked and commercialized in Europe and Israel and has been granted an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) to initiate a pivotal human clinical study of the InSpace System in the United States.

Stem cell ‘living bandage’ for knee injuries trialed in humans

Posted On December 19, 2016 By OrthoSpineNews In Recon, Sports Medicine /

December 16, 2016 – University of Liverpool

A ‘living bandage’ made from stem cells, which could revolutionise the treatment and prognosis of a common sporting knee injury, has been trialed in humans for the first time by scientists at the Universities of Liverpool and Bristol.

Meniscal tears are suffered by over one million people a year in the US and Europe alone and are particularly common in contact sports like football and rugby. 90% or more of tears occur in the white zone of meniscus which lacks a blood supply, making them difficult to repair. Many professional sports players opt to have the torn tissue removed altogether, risking osteoarthritis in later life.

The Cell Bandage has been developed by spin-out company Azellon, and is designed to enable the meniscal tear to repair itself by encouraging cell growth in the affected tissue.

A prototype version of the Cell Bandage was trialled in five patients, aged between 18 and 45, with white-zone meniscal tears. The trial received funding support from Innovate UK and the promising results have been published today in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine.

The procedure involved taking stem cells, harvested from the patient’s own bone marrow, which were then grown for two weeks before being seeded onto a membrane scaffold that helps to deliver the cells into the injured site. The manufactured Cell Bandage was then surgically implanted into the middle of the tear and the cartilage was sewn up around the bandage to keep it in place.

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