The SUN (Safety Using NUsurface) clinical trial is underway, with the reportedly first meniscus replacement procedure performed recently at Salt Lake Regional Medical Center.
The procedure was performed by Andrew Cooper, MD, on a patient enrolled in the SUN clinical trial who had been experiencing persistent knee pain due to injured or deteriorating meniscus cartilage, according to a media release from Active Implants LLC.
The patient, 55-year-old Utah resident Kent Carlson, had been experiencing meniscus-related problems since a skiing accident when he was a child.
“There aren’t many options for patients like Kent, who experienced persistent knee pain following meniscus surgery,” says Cooper, an orthopedic surgeon at Salt Lake Regional Medical Center, in the release.
“Damage to the meniscus can lead to arthritis and the need for knee replacement surgery. We hope the NUsurface implant alleviates pain in these patients, as well as helps them delay or avoid knee replacement surgery,” he adds.
The NUsurface meniscus implant, developed by Active Implants LLC, is inserted into the knee joint via a small incision. After the procedure, patients can usually go home afterward but then undergo a 6-week rehabilitation program, per the release.
The SUN clinical trial is designed to assess the safety and effectiveness of the NUsurface Meniscus Implant in restoring function similar to that of a healthy meniscus. It is part of the regulatory process to gain FDA approval to sell the implant in the United States.
For more information, visit Active Implants LLC.
[Source: Active Implants LLC]
