The results of a recent clinical trial showed that an implantable device can not only make daily activities more comfortable, but delay the need for a knee replacement. The device involves a piston that anchors to the inner side of the femur and tibia bones with a small plate. Trial data showed significant reduction in pain scores and improvement in function scores for more than 90% of the 81 trial participants. The shock absorber had a success rate of 86% compared to the most common procedure, high tibial osteotomy, which has a success rate of 66% and is typically used to treat symptomatic osteoarthritis of the medial compartment of the knee.
“There really hasn’t been much to offer for knee arthritis between the more basic options like medications, therapy, and injections all the way to joint replacement,” said David Flanigan, MD, professor of orthopedics and director of the Cartilage Restoration Program at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. “This shock absorber could be an in between step patients need. When you’re walking, doing activities, it’s going to take away about 30% of that shock or stress on the knee every time you put weight on your leg.”
The 2-year collective clinical trial data has been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is under regulatory review.
