Scaffolding for Knees

Damage to the cartilage in the knee is a common injury, prevalent among athletes. Most treatments for this condition are painful both physically and financially. However, knee scaffolding is a less painful treatment option for patients and their pocketbooks.

The Procedure

• Scientists at MIT and Cambridge University developed the tissue scaffold. Doctors use is on knees and other joints with similar cartilage damage. A two-layered tissue scaffold, called an osteochondral scaffold, stimulates mesenchymal stem cells to produce new cartilage and bone within the injured joint.

Benefits and Disadvantages

• Doctors use the scaffold procedure to treat injuries to joints and damage caused by illness such as arthritis. The treatment remains limited due to the size of the scaffolding; it is only useful to treat minor joint defects.

Testing

• The procedure was first tested in a 16-week study with goats. The stimulated tissues responded well after the implantation of the scaffolding. Clinical trials began in Europe in 2009.