Personalized cartilage replacement helps with knee pain

Knee osteoarthritis is a widespread form of arthrosis that limits those affected in their everyday lives. The wear and tear in the cartilage tissue often causes pain and movement restrictions. In order to improve treatment, researchers have developed a process that allows artificial cartilage tissue to be individually tailored to sufferers.

In an interview with MEDICA-tradefair.com, Prof. Günter Tovar explains how personalized cartilage tissue can help against knee pain.

Prof. Tovar, how does the manufacturing process for artificial cartilage tissue work?

Prof. Günter Tovar: The cartilage-analogous tissue is manufactured in a continuous process chain using a special 3D printing method. This multi-axis, additive manufacturing method allows objects with a correspondingly complex geometry to be built up from different materials. The advantage of multi-axis processing compared to conventional three-axis methods is the greater process freedom. For example, it can minimize the step process that occurs when the contour of a part is not parallel or orthogonal to the build direction, thus subdividing the bevel into individual discrete layers.

The personalized data for 3D printing is obtained from MRI scans, so that each cartilage can be individually manufactured according to a biological model. For this purpose, a so-called target geometry of the defect to be replaced is generated from scan data.

Which biomaterials are used and why did you choose these in particular?

Tovar: The material for the cartilage replacement is a methyl-modified gelatin solution that is cured with UV light. Cells grown in a bioreactor prior to implantation are dissolved in this biomimetic material, which was developed with inspiration from nature. In addition, other components of the extracellular matrix can be added, such as chondroitin sulfate.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of personalized cartilage tissue?

Tovar: The advantage of personalized cartilage tissue is that the replacement tissue can adapt better to the individual situation in the body. This increases the chance of rapid adhesion, and patients can put weight on their knee again sooner and are free of pain sooner. The disadvantage is the high cost, but we absorb this through the automated process of mass personalization.

Is there a possibility of using the technology for other parts of the body that can be affected by osteoarthritis?

Tovar: The knee joint is our pioneer joint, so to speak, because that is where there is the greatest need from the medical side. In principle, however, this procedure can of course also be transferred to other joints.

What obstacles did you encounter during development?

Tovar: Even if we biomimetically mimic the structure of the biomacromolecular matrix, the naturally grown structures inside are still more complex. Therefore, it remains a hurdle to make the structures more and more natural-like.

What are the next steps in research?

Tovar: The next step represents clinical implementation. That means a separate application for approval must be filed so that the artificial cartilage can actually be implanted in patients.