New Osteochondral Plugs for Cartilage repair

Next month I will be using a new type of plug, made from allograft bone and cartilage, to replace damaged areas of the knee joint. Allografts have been available for some time, and are not experimental; the problem has been that in order to get live cartilage cells the grafts have to be fresh- and this has led to contamination problems with both bacteria and viruses.

The new plugs are based upon a new freezing technology that allows us to freeze the graft without ice crystals forming. About 50% of the cartilage cells live, and survive in the recipient. The grafts are prepackaged in the shape of a cylinder. The cost of these plug is far less than the cost of an ACI transplant.

The company making the freezer is Core Dynamics, have a look at their web site.

Stem Cells and the Candidates

Just before 9/11, President Bush made a televised speech about stem cells and how to restrict federal funding based upon existing lines in culture. Amazing how little is heard about this issue now in the debates, particularly on the Republican side, where it seems most people just want the issue to go away. Well it might or it might not. Recent advances in generating stem like cells without using embryos are promising, but not conclusive (see prior post). Like most issues in science, there will be progress and then setbacks. The main lesson from this impasse seems lost; the government does not "control" science, but it sure can makes things difficult.