Orthonika Researchers and Sierrra MedTech Company collaborated to developed an artificial substitute for damaged knee meniscus.
Meniscus,
medial knee: The word "meniscus" refers to a
crescent-shaped structure. The medial meniscus of the knee is a thickened
crescent-shaped cartilage pad between the two joints formed by the femur (the
thigh bone) and the tibia (the shin bone). The meniscus acts as a smooth
surface for the joint to move on. The knee meniscus is a structure that supports
the mechanical integrity of the knee and helps to distribute impact.
The Problem. Meniscal tearing is a very common injury and
often leads to severe pain, restricted movement, and osteoarthritis. These tears occur most often in athletes and the
elderly and rarely heal. There are treatments such as human tissue implants,
but they are not widely available and it is still not clear if they are
effective.
Solution. According to the team from Imperial College London, patients who have damaged their knees could in the future get help from a new artificial meniscus being developed. Now, researchers at Orthonika, a new business
created by Imperial scientists jointly with the company Sierra MedTech, are
developing an artificial knee meniscus that mimics the complex fibrous
structure of real ones, which is able to cope with the high stresses and loads
associated with the knee.
The meniscus has an extremely complex structure and
is subject to high stresses. It needs to be both elastic and strong, capable of
adapting to an individual's movement. Professors Andrew Amis, who led the project said, "Our team have studied the structure
of a natural meniscus and how it reacts to different forces to design a
substitute that would function like a natural meniscus. We have also designed a
surgical insertion procedure and related instruments, such as a secure means of
fixation to the bone,".
The Orthonika will be to further advance and test knee meniscus designs as their next step.
Philippine News Agency
Medicine Net
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