Gel that can stop your knees becoming arthritic

AhighTeCh gel to prevent the damage that leads to arthritic knees is being tested. The treatment aims to encourage the growth of cartilage, the flexible tissue covering the ends of bones that acts as a shock absorber and allows the bones to glide over one another.

The problem is that cartilage has a poor blood supply, so when it is damaged or subject to wear and tear, it cannot properly repair itself.

The body sends in repair cells and blood growth factors and, over time, this develops into ‘fibrocartilage’, a form of scar tissue that is not as effective as the original tissue.

Fibrocartilage can quickly break down, which can lead to osteoarthritis when bones starts to rub on bone.

The new gel, called gelrinC, acts as a highly dense scaffold, working as a barrier to stop repair cells rapidly moving into the defect and forming fibrous repair tissue. This allows healthy, stronger cartilage to form more slowly instead.

Before the gel is injected, patients first undergo a microfracture, where multiple holes are drilled deep into the bone. This encourages the body to send in repair cells and growth factors.

Then, in a tenminute procedure, the gel, which starts off as a liquid, is injected into the defective cartilage and exposed to ultraviolet light for 90 seconds.

This turns it into a semisolid implant, which fits into the defect where the cartilage used to be and prevents the exposed bones rubbing against one another.

over the next six to 12 months, the gel slowly degrades, is expelled from the body and replaced by newly forming cartilage.

The treatment is currently being tested in multicentred trials at the University of regensburg, germany, and in Belgium and israel. These involve more than 200 patients who have defects in their cartilage measuring up to 1in in diameter.

Patients will be monitored for two years to assess the short and longterm effects of the treatment compared with a placebo gel. Commenting on the research, roger hackney, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Leeds general infirmary, said: ‘There are a number of ways such defects have been treated.

‘Microfracture produces fibrocartilage, not normal cartilage, and, although it is better than leaving the defect, it does not provide a longlasting solution. The structure of cartilage is complex, with various layers of cells and fibres performing differing functions.

‘it will be interesting to see the new trial results.’

The manufacturer, regentis, has already conducted a trial with the gel, involving 23 patients with damaged knee cartilage.

MEANWHILE, strawberries may be a sweet new way to ease symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.

eating a handful of berries a day can reduce inflammation and lower pain levels after 12 weeks, according to a study published in the journal nutrients.

People who suffered from knee osteoarthritis and who were overweight — a major risk factor for the condition — were given 50g of freezedried strawberries to eat every day for 12 weeks.

The researchers found that levels of two key inflammatory compounds more than halved in those who were eating the berries, compared with no change in the control group.

The berryeaters also reported feeling less pain.

The fruit is a rich source of polyphenols — compounds that have antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects — which may help explain the benefits.