The implant is infused with human growth factors that prompt the body to regenerate the lining on its own. The therapy has currently been successfully tested in sheep and could provide the first effective repair of damaged menisci. The animals were randomized to have part of their knee meniscus replaced with a protein-infused 3D scaffold or a 3D scaffold without protein. After three months, the protein-infused 3D scaffold group sheep were walking normally. The researchers also found that the regenerated meniscus in the treatment group had structural and mechanical properties very similar to those of natural meniscus.
“This research, although preliminary, demonstrates the potential for an innovative approach to meniscus regeneration,” said co-author Scott Rodeo, MD, sports medicine orthopedic surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. “This would potentially be applicable to the many patients who undergo meniscus removal each year.”
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