"Articular cartilage" isn't typically a term people are familiar with until they seek treatment for joint pain. If you haven't heard of it, consider yourself lucky. However, for people suffering from joint pain, it's one they come to know all too well because damaged articular cartilage is one of the most common causes of joint pain.
In case you don't know, articular cartilage serves as a protective layer covering the surface of the bones within joints. It gives your joints the ability to glide over each other with ease. It also absorbs shock to the joints. However, traumatic injuries, overuse, or health conditions can cause damage to it. When that happens, the joint loses its smooth surface, which makes it more difficult for your bones to move — resulting in pain, swelling and stiffness.
Cutting Edge Research in Joint Surgery
Enter Beacon's Dr. David Argo. During the last four years, he's worked with AlloSource®, one of the largest allograft providers in the world, to develop ProChondrix CR, which is a product specifically made to treat articular cartilage damage. Dr. Argo is able to implant living cartilage in a single-stage procedure (one surgery vs. two). In relevant cases, it can serve as a surgical treatment option when non-surgical treatments have been exhausted.
"Our goal at Beacon is to always bring the latest technology and treatments to our patients. We want to give them their best chance at a pain-free life," said Dr. Argo. "Being intrinsically involved with the development of products like AlloSource®'s ProChondrix CR allows us to successfully pursue that outcome for them." Dr. Argo is part of the Cartilage Counsel focusing on the future of joint preservation at AlloSource.
Allografts Help Alleviate Joint Paint
There are typically three surgical options used to treat this type of injury. The last one utilizes an allograft like ProChondrix CR:
- Make small holes in the bone to encourage growth of new cartilage, which uses marrow stimulation or microfracture
- Replace damaged cartilage with your own cartilage: an autograft
- Replace damaged cartilage with donated living cartilage, which is called an allograft, like ProChondrix CR
In January, Dr. Argo presented his extensive experience with ProChondrix® CR allograft on behalf of AlloSource® at the British Patellofemoral Society Meeting. The session, titled ProChondrix CR: Cryopreserved off-the-shelf Hyaline Cartilage Allograft, specifically highlighted repairing osteochondral defects of the knee with AlloSource's allograft.
"Sharing my experience with ProChondrix for cartilage defects in the knee at the British Patellofemoral Society Meeting in January hopefully helps other orthopaedic surgeons bring increased relief to joint-pain patients around the world," said Dr. Argo. "After having used the product for 29 cases at Beacon, I believe it will make a major difference in healing patellofemoral injuries and arthritis — especially when caught early; although it can be used for patients in a degenerative state, too."
About ProChondrix CR from AlloSource
AlloSource developed ProChondrix CR as a cost-effective, single-stage alternative to deliver the necessary components for articular cartilage restoration. This cartilage restoration therapy provides live, functional cells and biological components necessary for the repair and regeneration of damaged cartilage tissue where as other treatments stimulate the patient to create scar tissue which does not replace the native cartilage. ProChondrix CR has an average of 94.97% chondrocyte viability after two years of storage at -80°C. The two-year shelf life helps to alleviate the inventory management challenges of other cartilage products and provides surgeons with more flexibility for their patients.
Are You or a Loved One a Joint Pain Sufferer? We Can Help.
Joint paint is not something you have to live with. That isn't a sales pitch. It's the truth. Our specialists, like Dr. Argo, can help you. Schedule an appointment to find out more about how we can get you back to living with less pain.
