I thought people might be interested in this - not directly PMR of course but something many of us end up suffering from. The problem will be producing the cartilage cells - but the techniques of cell culture will improve in the future. Some way of producing cells that can be introduced into joints denuded of their cartilage will be developed and it could end up being a technique as simple as having a steroid injection for cells to be reintroduced and grow in a joint.
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Wouldn't it! Bet they are using the knee as a model as relatively easy to get at. My right knee is a candidate after major manglement skiing 30-ish years ago but there was no sign a few years ago. It is very unreliable going down stairs so I assume that is the surrounding muscles getting waggly. But the thumbs are making a lot of complaint at times!
My first choice for treatment would be thumbs…then toes…then hips! Nice to have an order of things! Did have a skiing knee problem, but only due to hypermobility. You need to only go places where there’s a lift…or ground floor! S x
Unfortunately though I achieve that most places and going up isn't too bad, at the swimming pool my aqua class is downstairs and it is a LONG set of stairs! I suppose there may be a lift SOMEWHERE!
FIND the lift…I don’t want to risk you fall down a long set of stairs just to get to an underground swimming pool (joke)! My left knee hurts a bit & tends to sublux, but generally better than the rest of me!
As you say knee is easy to get at -and also one of the commonest joints affected, and considered most difficult surgery to recover from… can’t disagree with that..
I agree, & I am honestly happy that they do knees first (ha ha & by then my knees may need doing)! Then shoulders next, I guess. My stepdaughter had her shoulder done. But then thumbs before anything else, pretty please, it affects so so much of what I like to do!! Tee hee! We are flooded here again in NF, how is Dorset? Just as bad, I fear!! S xx
hello how are you? So we have a new drug for arthritis. I’ve already had two knees replaced and I am looking at two shoulders right now and neck and cervical spine are in very bad shape so I would love to know what the name of this drug is.. Originally I could not download it from the website you left Pro. Can we try this again? Also, you folks are talking about methotrexate. I was wondering if anyone is using Actemra for PMR in the UK. hope all is well.
It isn't a drug, it is a transplant technique for cartilage that has been grown in cell culture. A small piece of nose cartilage is the base for growing larger amounts which are then transplanted into the joint,
As DL says, none of the biologics are authorised for PMR in the UK, Actemra can currently be used for GCA but only for a year but this is being appealed.
This is a summary from the article:
"Treating knee joint defects with cartilage from the nose: The University Hospital in Würzburg is working on the approval of this procedure. They received funding of 2.3 million euros for this purpose.
Even though the recently launched EU project ENCANTO ("magic" in Spanish) has nothing to do with the Disney movie of the same name, the study topic might sound like magic to the layman. "We take a small piece of cartilage from the nasal septum of our patients, culture it on a structurally supportive collagen matrix, and implant it four weeks later into the damaged knee to regenerate the cartilage," Dr. Oliver Pullig explains.
The safety and efficacy of this method for cartilage regeneration has already been demonstrated by the biologist in a former nasal cartilage study with an international team under the direction of the University Hospital Basel on more than 100 individuals. In this study, focal cartilage lesions, i.e., locally limited, and clearly defined injuries, which occur for example, after an accident, were treated with the laboratory grown cartilage tissue from the nose."
Wish i could get on a trial for that Pro i have 3 minscule tear,s in my right knee after a fall l was told 4 weeks ago by my consultant im too old for key hole surgery but willing to do full knee replacement on my left knee after a bad fall in the bedroom i broke my leg in two places 7 yrs ago put in a weight bearing splint and no follow up untill i pushed for a doctor to see me due to OA.now its badly deformed they are moving their backside to help with the pain .
I mangled my knee and tibia skiing here, The consultant offered me a choice: go home and have it done or we can do it tomorrow. Obviously I chose them! Thank goodness - when I got home and went for follow-up I was asked at fracture clinic if I could lift my foot, Of course, I said - and was informed most people couldn't after what I'd done! Italy had sent me home without a cast so I could exercise the knee but in Scotland I was put in a 2-part cast with a knee brace that weighed a ton and left to get on with it for 3 months. And then no physio! Was told I would definitely get OA in it. 30 years on - it's waggly but not due to OA! SO glad I chose to have it done here!
Lovely and sunny this morning - but had persistent rain last 2 days…. lots of flooded fields all around.. 🤨… Just got back from Pilates, and dark clouds about - again…. Fortunately they seem to be skirting around in the distance.
We got stuck on the Brenner! I was 16 & Dad was driving…no snow, but flooded with rain, & roadworks submerged…got half way, but all had to turn round & return to Austria!! But snow should be good round there, maybe…for skiers! But guess you’d probably prefer Spring? We would, S xx
We've just had 2 weeks of spring, everything down in the low valleys is sprouting, This should be just a hiccup. Whether the snow is good news or not remains to be seen. The peak of the season is past with Fasching and mid-term holidays over most of Europe finished. Difficult to say what the quality of this snow is - if it is damp, is pisted and then it freezes could be icy and that means more numpties with broken bits in the ED, Half the patients at present are tourists of that variety!
Um. We only once when skiing in spring snow. It was OK onthe upper slopes, but like trying to turn in thick soup near the resort! Used to hate the trying to get home bit, without twisting knee, breaking some bone etc. Yes, you have extra people to fight through in your ED!! S x
I remember a Chinese acupuncture teacher telling me that the technology was already there but it would take time before widespread use, as it would mean that the business generated by artificial parts, i.e. knees, hips etc. and the associated medical treatment would suffer.
If the technique required is easy and doesn't require a full team and operating theatre it is likely it will be encouraged. All the tinware in the world doesn't help when there is noone to stick it in place!
In two weeks I'll have hip replacement surgery which I hope will allow me to walk unaided again, after waiting 8 months in agony. But my knees are also both "end stage" and likely to make life much more difficult before surgery is possible. ENCANTO treatment would be a godsend - imagine not having to go through surgery with the inevitable painful recovery and uncertain outcome.
How long will it take before this treatment is available in the New Zealand medical system? It surely would be much less expensive than a knee replacement which is now over $30,000 in a private hospital.
I know the answer: not soon enough for people in their '80s.
Thanks for this, sounds hopeful but I suspect it might a good while before it becomes generally available. To keep up with the weather reports, heavy rain with some bright intervals the last few days, then a thick frost this morning. At least it's looking better for Monday, official moo-ving day.
There is an experimental treatment for knee cartilage replacement here in Japan but they have age limit - only available to people before age 70 I was told several years ago.
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