Two implants made from the cartilage of the nose were used to repair the knee joints of two people with severe osteoarthritis. A resounding success that led to the planning of a larger clinical trial to see if the treatment can help the millions of people with knee osteoarthritis around the world.
Knee osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage in the knee joint gradually wears away, causing pain, stiffness and difficulty walking. It is common in older adults, but some younger people can develop it as well.
The only way to treat the condition is to replace the knee with an artificial joint made of metal or plastic. But even these prosthetic joints can wear out, leading to more surgeries.
A “nasal” prosthesis
Ivan martin from the University of Basel in Switzerland and his colleagues wondered whether another option might have been to replace the damaged knee cartilage with healthy cartilage taken from the same patient's nose.
The main advantage of a solution like this is the actual regeneration of the cartilage, compared to replacing it with a foreign body part.
Ivan martin, University of Basel
After the successful experiments in mice and sheep, the researchers then tested this solution on two patients, a 34-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman, both with severe knee osteoarthritis.
The stages of knee recovery
In primo luogo, researchers removed small amounts of cartilage from the nasal septum (the structure that separates the nostrils) of patients, and “cultured” it to create thin, flat sheets. THE surgeons they then inserted these cartilage grafts into the damaged knee joints of men and women.
MRI scans showed that the cartilage of the nose successfully integrated into the joints. Eight months after the procedure, both reported a significantly less paina improved knee function and better quality of life. Both were able to avoid the traditional replacement of the prosthesis.
A larger clinical trial is now needed to test the effectiveness of this solution, as the two cases treated can only provide anecdotal evidence.
Ivan martin, University of Basel
Trial approved
The University of Basel team has just received approval from the Swiss medical regulator to test the approach in 15 more people with knee osteoarthritis. If it goes well, an even larger study will begin on 64 people. It should be said that the definitive solution for those suffering from knee osteoarthritis is starting to walk.
References: Science Translational Medicine, DOI: 10.1126 / scitm.aaz4499
