IKC Annual Review 2016 1 | Page 16

Medical Technologies IKC | 16 ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES New tests for knee joint repair interventions New research being carried out in the University of Leeds’ joint simulation facility will enable clinicians to predict the performance of tissue repair interventions in knee joints. The team is developing experimental simulation methods to assess the biomechanical and tribological performance of patellofemoral interventions – which repair the kneecap and thighbone joint – made from decellularised human or porcine material. Louise Jennings, Associate Professor of Medical Engineering at Leeds is leading the research. She says: “In the UK, as many as 11 per cent of men and 24 per cent of women over the age of 55 suffer from isolated patella-femoral arthritis. “Mixed results have been reported with current interventions to repair cartilage, and this research will help ensure that new implant materials being developed for cartilage repair will be able to perform biomechanically and tribologically. “There is currently no capability anywhere in the world to carry out rigorous preclinical assessments of early repair interventions in the patellofemoral joint, so this research will be a much-needed step forward.” The test is being developed for decellularised devices produced using methods developed at the University of Leeds. It is expected the assessment could also be extended to other devices made using synthetic scaffolds. Natural knee joint models A team led by University of Leeds Professor Ruth Wilcox has developed a computational model of the knee that takes into account the solid and liquid components of the soft tissues, including the meniscus and cartilage. This model will enable the effects of different treatments for the knee to be examined. It will also help our industrial partner, Simulation Solutions, to develop natural knee joint simulators that can be used to test and validate regenerative devices for soft tissue repair. would be candidates for different treatments. The model and simulation systems are now being further developed to take into account the variation in knee anatomy from one patient to another through a Medical Technologies IKC proof of concept award. This is crucial in helping to identify which patient groups “By having a model that can take this into account, we can help ensure new devices are more effective and enable surgeons to carry out interventions as safely as possible.” n “Damage to the knee joint or surgical interventions to repair damage change how the joint functions, which can have follow on impact on the remaining soft tissue,” says Professor Wilcox.