![Osteoarthritis: repairing cartilage and bones with implants](https://img.passeportsante.net/1000x526/2016-06-15/i39531-arthrose-reparer-le-cartilage-et-les-os-avec-des-implants.jpg)
June 15, 2016.
Researchers from the National Institute for Health and Medical Research (Inserm) have developed a new generation of bone and joint implants for people suffering from osteoarthritis.
Implants composed of stem cells
An Inserm team, under the direction of Nadia Benkirane-Jessel (Unit 1109 « Regenerative osteoarticular and dental nanomedicine »Inserm / University of Strasbourg), has developed implants capable of rebuilding cartilage and regenerating bone damaged by osteoarthritis. This disease, which gradually destroys cartilage, affects 17% of the French population.
But what is it exactly? These implants come in the form ofa membrane, which looks like the matrix surrounding the cartilage and which has the growth factors to regenerate damaged bone. We then inject a layer of hydrogel, composed of stem cells derived from the patient’s bone marrow, which will participate in the regeneration of cartilage.
The implant will be placed by a single surgical act
” These trials will be conducted on 30 patients (aged 18 to 50) with knee injuries, and recruited in three countries (France, England, Spain) », Comments Nadia Benkirane-Jessel, research director at Inserm. ” The implant, already patented, will be put in place by a single surgical act “. ” The nanoreservoir membrane is first deposited on the injured joint, then the stem cells are added to it. », She clarified.
Currently, with osteoarthritis, only a sample of their own cartilage cells is injected into the patient’s joint, but this technique is not always effective, as it does not take into account the damaged bone. Before launching clinical trials in humans, researchers are now awaiting funding.
Read also: How to prevent osteoarthritis?