Plugs could curtail total knee replacement surgery

To this end, Dr Melissa Grunlan, a professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M University, has received a grant from the US National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease to develop the potential off-the-shelf surgical device to treat osteochondral defects (OCDs).

“Chronic knee pain and disability are caused by cartilage loss and OCDs stemming from arthritis, including osteoarthritis and post-traumatic arthritis causing individuals pain that limits comfort and mobility,” Dr Grunlan said in a statement. “This grant will allow us to maximise the potential of the CC-ROPs to heal OCDs, and to collect data demonstrating this efficacy.”

This technology could be an alternative to current treatment methods, such as autografting or total knee replacement.

Autografting requires small cylindrical specimens to be harvested from the non-damaged part of the patient’s knee and transferred into pre-drilled holes in the defect area. However, this method can be hindered by the patient’s age and the size of the defect.