CARTILAGE

 

REGENERATION

 

in situ and in vivo   

The treatment of osteochondral lesions with intraarticular sodium chondroitin sulfate and sodium hyaluronate has proven to have a significantly favorable clinical response compared with the conventional treatment. This response has been confirmed with pre- and posttreatment arthroscopic imaging, conventional and electron microscope examination as well as histophysiology testing (POSITIVE S-100 Protein) showing that the damaged cartilage is regenerated in a period of about 2 years recovering its normal structure and function. The indications for the chondrogenic induction intraarticular treatment must be addressed to patients with chondromalacia and grades I and II osteoarthritis in any joint of the human body.

The original cause of the osteochondral pathology should invariably be treated, as the long-term result of the procedure will depend on that. Prior surgical management, where indicated, through minimal invasive surgery, is an excellent alternative for the integral management of osteochondral lesions and their better long-term prognosis.

Therefore, the mixture of sodium hyaluronate and sodium chondroitin sulfate can be used now in defined amounts in a therapeutically useful manner for all the characterized pathological conditions by the simple intraarticular application route, and the absence of risks of both components makes this therapy particularly attractive.

The experts in the technique will recognize that the preferred modes may be altered or amended without straying away from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the enclosed claims.