The effectiveness of an autologous cartilage repair method is being studied at the Cartilage Restoration Center at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago. Rush is one of 20 sites in the United States and Canada participating in a new international research study comparing different treatment options for injury to articular cartilage in the knee.
The new product is called Carticel™, which was used at Rush by orthopedic surgeon Brian Cole, M.D. in 1997 and was approved for a surgical procedure called autologous chondrocyte implantation or ACI, for the treatment of damaged knee cartilage that was not successfully repaired by a prior surgery.
During ACI, a small piece of healthy cartilage is removed from the injured patient's knee and used to grow millions of new cartilage cells in a laboratory. The new cells are then implanted into the knee to repair the damaged area. This study will compare the results of using Carticel (ACI) to results from older treatment options for cartilage injury including debridement, abrasion, microfracture or drilling.
"This study will help surgeons determine the treatment option that offers the most durable repair. This is an important issue we need to better understand in treating cartilage injuries," said Cole, director of the Rush Cartilage Restoration Center.
Rush seeks patients for this research study who have had knee surgery other than ACI during the past three years to treat a cartilage injury. Only patients who continue to have symptoms such as knee pain, or swelling in the joint are eligible to participate. The patient and doctor must also agree that ACI is the best new treatment for their condition. The study is not for patients who have osteoarthritis or other joint diseases that can produce the same or similar symptoms.
Potential study candidates should discuss the idea with their orthopedic surgeon, and must provide information from medical records regarding previous treatments. Patients approved for the study will be monitored every six months for up to a four-year period.
"This is also an opportunity for patients from this area to participate in an international study, the results of which could help other patients around the world," Cole said.
The ability of a knee joint to function normally depends on the presence of a smooth gliding surface. This function is dependent on the cartilage in the knee. There are two different types of cartilage in the knee, meniscus and articular cartilage. The meniscus are two pads of tissue that act as a cushion between the thigh and shins bones.
Articular cartilage, is a thin layer of tough tissue that covers the ends of bones where they meet in the joint. People with damage to this cartilage generally display symptoms that include joint locking, catching, localized pain, and swelling. In addition to pain and restricted mobility, chronic injuries to this cartilage over time may lead to debilitating osteoarthritis, which can severely affect a person's normal daily activities.
More than 5 million people each year in the U. S. see an orthopedic surgeon for knee-related problems.
To enroll in the study call 877-266-3763.
Genzyme Tissue Repair is the sponsor of the research study.
Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center includes the 809-bed Presbyterian-St. Luke's Hospital; 154-bed Johnston R. Bowman Health Center for the Elderly; Rush University (Rush Medical College, College of Nursing, College of Health Sciences and Graduate College); and seven Rush Institutes providing diagnosis, treatment and research into leading health problems. The medical center is the tertiary hub of the Rush System for Health, a comprehensive healthcare system capable of serving about three million people through its outpatient facilities and seven member hospitals.