ZAP ARTHRITIS PAIN AWAY!
ACURE for agonizing arthritis pain may be on the horizon for the 27 million Americans who suffer from the jointravaging disease!
University of Connecticut bioengineers say they’ve developed a revolutionary treatment that regrows cartilage by zapping bones with small electric shocks! Cartilage, a naturally occurring connective tissue, is vital for cushioning joints. But regular wear and tear can cause it to deteriorate — a condition known as osteoarthritis, which leaves bones grinding against each other. That makes daily activities, like walking, extremely painful — and sometimes impossible. Current invasive treatments include replacing damaged cartilage with healthy tissue from another part of the body, which can be problematic. Donor cartilage is also an option, but it’s in short supply and can be rejected by a recipient’s immune system.
Previous attempts to stimulate the human body to regrow cartilage have failed. But the UC team believes they may have discovered the missing ingredient: electricity. The researchers created a minuscule mesh implant — about half a millimeter thick — made of PLLA. The biodegradable material is typically used to stitch surgical wounds, but it also produces tiny bursts of electricity when squeezed. They explain regular joint movements cause the implant to generate a weak but steady electrical field, which encourages cells to create new cartilage.
In lab experiments, scientists tested the scaffold-like device by treating an injured rabbit’s knee, and it eventually allowed the bunny to exercise on a treadmill! “This is a fascinating result, but we need to test this in a larger animal,” says lead study author Dr. Yang Liu.
Liu and his colleagues hope to monitor treated critters for up to two years to assess the durability of the cartilage.
While younger animals typically heal more easily, Liu says if the implant can help older subjects heal as well, the invention will be a bioengineering breakthrough.