Personalized implants to treat cartilage damage in the knee
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | EPISURF MEDICAL AB |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 4 208 000 |
| Project duration | March 2013 - July 2015 |
| Status | Completed |
Purpose and goal
The region behind the patella is called trochlea och has a concave shape. Osteoarthritis is common in the area but due to its complex geometry it´s particularly difficult to treat. The purpose has been to develop a small patient-specific implant and belonging insertion guide. The individualization enables restoration of a smooth, continuous articular surface. Episurf has together with its project partners succeeded to develop and market launch the product and so far have several patients been treated with successful result.
Results and expected effects
A patient-specific trochlea-implant and drill guide have been developed and market launched. Long-term fixation is shown through good osseointegration and several manufacturing steps have been automated. The product is the 2nd in Episurf´s product portfolio and open up for a larger patient group/market. New automated manufacturing steps generates a reduced design time, giving a more efficient and cost reduced production. The new product means that Episurf now can offer a treatment for focal cartilage lesions localized in all regions of the femoral knee.
Approach and implementation
Starting point for the project was existing implant and surgical guide prototypes that were developed for the condyle area of the knee. The approach was to redesign these to fit the concave shape of the trochlea. The consortium combined expertise from orthopedic surgeons, medical engineers and product/process developers and was carried out in accordance with Episurf´s Design Control Process in a successful way. By taking advantage of the knowledge from previous products the development could be carried out faster then it normally takes for this type of product.