DeNovo NT Graft: Scientific Breakthrough Could Ease Knee Pain

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Scientific Breakthrough Could Ease Knee Pain

Indiana Hospital Enrolling Patients In Study

http://www.theindychannel.com/health/15157445/detail.html

INDIANAPOLIS -- For Mike Mattingly, there's nothing like a trot around the

track with Genuine Mattjic, a thoroughbred he's exercising for an upcoming

race in New Jersey.

" I like feeling the power of the horse out there, just being out, " Mattingly

said.

But a bum knee threatened to end Mattingly's equine endeavors.

" Little bit of knocking and popping, " he said.

And there was a lot of pain.

" I started having it where it would lock up on me, " he said.

A focal lesion or pre-arthritic defect on the articular cartilage of Mike's

right knee was to blame. Such defects are caused by genetics, weight,

alignment issues and injuries.

To fix the problem, Mike became one of the first in the country to receive a

DeNovo NT Graft.

Natural donor tissue was taken from juvenile human cartilage donor tissue.

It was minced into tiny pieces and placed into a sticky bio-glue and then

implanted into the defect.

Dr. Jack Farr with Ortho Indy in Indianapolis told 6News Staying Healthy

reporter Stacia s that the operation is like fixing potholes.

" This is not arthritis, so we're not trying to repave a road. We're having a

pothole in the road and we're trying to repair it, " Farr said.

The hope is that over time the cartilage will repair itself. This would help

restore knee function, reduce pain and produce a healthy cartilage surface

so that patients can return to normal activities.

And if the study proves successful, this scientific breakthrough could last

a lifetime and ultimately prevent arthritis.

" That's the $64,000 question. That's everyone's goal, " Farr said.

A more common treatment for patients with cartilage defects includes two

operations. In the first surgery, doctors remove a small amount of existing

healthy cells from the patient. That biopsy is sent to a Massachusetts

laboratory where the cells are cultured into millions of cells.

The second procedure involves implanting those cultured cells into the knee.

But the DeNovo NT requires only one surgery, and patients are allowed to

return home the same day. Healing takes about six months.

Three months have passed since Mattingly's DeNovo NT surgery. He is looking

forward to becoming pain free and harnessing a win at the upcoming

Meadowlands Racetrack next month.

After an invigorating ride, Mattingly is able to club out of the buggy

without help.

" My knee feels good, real good. It's getting better every day, " he said.

Ortho Indy is currently enrolling patients in the DeNovo NT Graft Clinical

Study, sponsored by Zimmer Inc., in collaboration with ISTO Technologies

Inc.

To participate, you must be between 18 to 55 years old and experiencing knee

pain.

To learn more about it call 317-884-5358.