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Hip Implants Replaced with Stem Cell Cartilage

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New research from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests cartilage grown from stem cells could be used to replace hip implants. Currently, traditional hip replacement surgery involves placing metal, plastic, or ceramic implants into the hip joint. While many of the current hip implant companies claim their hip implants last for over 20 years, data from survey studies suggest many of these implants failing sooner than anticipated.

The new technique uses 3D printing to create a replica of the patient’s joint. The print is used as biodegradable scaffolding for the stem cells that will be placed on it. Once scaffolding is created, stem cells removed from the patient’s fat are placed covering the entire area of the molded joint. The researchers use a mixture of proteins to motivate the stem cells to transform into cartilage. Researchers have programmed these stem cells to release anti-inflammatory molecules when a particular drug is induced by the patient.

This new method is being tested on animals, and if everything goes well, treatments for human patients may be approved three to five years from now. This new less invasive method could help many of the younger patients between the ages of 40 to 65 who may not be candidates for hip replacements yet due to their age.

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