MediPost "Cartistem Shows Potential for Treating Patellar Cartilage Defects"

"Publication of SCI-Level Paper on Patellar Cartilage Defect Application Study"
"Potential Treatment Method for Knee Joint Injuries in Young Patients"

[Asia Economy Reporter Myung-Hwan Lee] Medipost announced on the 27th that a case applying the knee osteoarthritis stem cell treatment 'Cartistem' to patients with patellar cartilage defects has been published in an SCI-level academic journal.

The paper applying the stem cell treatment Cartistem to patellar cartilage defects was presented by Director Jun-Seop Song of Gangnam JS Hospital and Professor Seok-Joong Kim of the Catholic University College of Medicine.

The knee joint consists of the femur (the bone above the knee), the tibia (the bone below the knee), and the patella. Most knee cartilage injuries refer to damage to the cartilage of the femur and tibia, but sometimes the cartilage inside the patella is also damaged. The patellar cartilage is the thickest cartilage among the knee cartilages, making it difficult to tear and also challenging to regenerate once damaged.

In this paper, the research team administered Cartistem to a 15-year-old male patient with patellar cartilage defects and followed up for 24 months. As a result, Medipost explained that cartilage regeneration was confirmed through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), proving that the long-term cartilage regeneration effect was sustained. Additionally, significant clinical improvements were observed in major joint pain indicators such as ▲progressive improvement in physical function (WOMAC) ▲subjective pain relief (VAS) ▲joint function improvement (IKDC).

WOMAC showed a decrease from 74 to 3, a reduction of 71 points, comparing before Cartistem treatment and 24 months after. WOMAC is an index that scores pain, stiffness, and difficulty in daily activities. A higher score indicates greater difficulty in performing daily activities.

VAS also decreased from 8 to 2 after 24 months. This index ranges from 0, indicating no pain, to 10, indicating extreme pain, on a 1-point scale. IKDC improved from 5.8 to 90.8.

Medipost explained that Cartistem is a treatment method that can overcome the drawbacks of existing therapies. Previously, autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) or osteochondral autograft transplantation (OAT) were used to treat patellar cartilage defects. ACI involves harvesting the patient's cartilage tissue, culturing it externally, and then implanting it into the cartilage defect area, which requires significant time and cost. OAT also has the disadvantage of damaging the cartilage at the donor site because it involves taking cartilage from an unused part of the knee cartilage and placing it in the defect area.

Director Jun-Seop Song of Gangnam JS Hospital stated, "This paper showed that Cartistem can be an option for patients with patellar cartilage defects," but emphasized, "Although cartilage regeneration treatment is now possible using Cartistem, the best method is to maintain joint health through consistent exercise to strengthen the muscles around the joint in advance."

A Medipost official said, "This paper proved that Cartistem can be applied to patients with large lesions of the patella," adding, "It will be the best treatment method not only for degenerative osteoarthritis due to aging but also for relatively young patients with knee joint issues."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.