PRP Injections Help Young Athletes With UCL Tears.
John Gever writing in MedPage Today reports, “Young athletes with torn elbow ligaments, where rest and physical therapy were ineffective, quickly returned to play after receiving platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, a researcher said” during “the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine’s Specialty Day, part of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ annual meeting.” Researcher Scott Crow, MD found that “16 of 17 teenage and young adult patients with partial ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tears were able to return to regular play within 15 weeks of receiving PRP injection.”
Arthritis Results In More Disability Than Any Other Disease.
Letitia Stein writing in the St Petersburg Times reports that “arthritis causes more disability than any other disease.” In fact, “with one in five American adults afflicted, arthritis costs the nation $128 billion annually. Its growth is accelerating as the baby boomers age and people of all ages become heavier, fueling the disease.” Despite that, “public health experts say it’s hard to persuade people to take this painful, costly condition seriously,” particularly because the disease is not considered to be a killer. The article quotes Patience White, MD, MA, of the Arthritis Foundation, who stated, “What they don’t know is that disability is a killer in the long run.”
Shari Roan writing in the Los Angeles Times reports that scientists have “identified a biomarker that can help doctors diagnose a common knee injury — a meniscus tear.” This is according to a study in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. The researchers identified a “specific protein” in the knee fluid of 30 patients with a meniscal tear. A comparison of 10 patients who did not have a meniscal tear showed no presence of the protein. The study authors noted that further research is need to “determine if taking a sample of knee fluid can confirm the meniscal tear and distinguish it from other types of injuries.” This would be a pretty simple way to make the diagnosis I think.
Scientists Creating New Cartilage In Animals Using Biological Scaffolds.
Mark Johnson writing in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal ” reported, “Artificial joints, made from metal or ceramic materials, have become a remedy for patients with painful, arthritic knees, shoulders or hips,” but scientists at the University of Missouri and Columbia are “now working toward a more natural solution.” In a paper published in The Lancet, “scientists describe creating new cartilage in animals that use so-called biological scaffolds in animal joints.” Missouri’s James Cook said, “If we continue to prove the safety and efficacy of this biologic joint replacement strategy, then we can get FDA approval for the use of this technology for joint replacements in people.” A step in the right direction…
