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Submitted by PatientsEngage on 21 December 2014

Researchers report on a revolutionary new procedure that uses 3-D printing and the body’s stem cells to regenerate knee meniscus, a tissue lining that acts as a natural cushion between the femur and tibia.

People with damaged menisci develop arthritis and are forced to limit their activity.

The procedure, published online Dec. 10 in the journal Science Translational Medicine, has proved successful in sheep at Cornell University six months after surgery, though the researchers will monitor the sheep for a year to ensure the animals do not develop arthritis. Sheep menisci are structurally similar to those of humans, and clinical trials in humans could begin in two to three years.

Currently, a torn meniscus requires replacement with cadaver tissue, which has a low success rate and can lead to disease and rejection, and synthetic menisci have proved ineffective and hard to fit properly in diversely built patients.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Arthroscopy Association of North America, the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and the Harry M. Zweig Foundation.

http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2014/12/knee-meniscus-fixed-using-revolutionary-stem-cell-procedure

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