The Future Of Joint Repair

The Science Of Regenerative Medicine Has Not Caught Up With The Hype, But This Burgeoning Field Shows Potential For Pain Relief.

- Linda Rath​​​​​​​

IT SEEMS EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT IDEA ABOUT REGENERATIVE MEDICINE – what it is, what it does, whom it helps. Many in the public believe it’s a way to stay younger longer. For research scientists like Jeffrey Lotz, Jennifer Elisseeff and Farshid Guilak, it’s the key to developing novel ways to repair and replace damaged joint tissue. And for orthopedic surgeon Riley Williams III, MD, it’s important because it can help patients stay active. That’s crucial, he says, because “longevity and health are largely associated with exercise.”

Regenerative medicine is an umbrella term for a rapidly evolving branch of medicine that uses interventions like stem cells and tissue engineering procedures to “fix” tissues and organs that have failed to repair themselves or recover from injury. All are based on the idea, backed by existing evidence, that the body can repair itself. It’s easy to see the appeal. Many chronic ailments have no real cure – although there may be effective treatments to tame symptoms – and the cost and side effects of drug therapies can be deterrents. That leaves many people looking for other options.

But expectations for regenerative medicine have sometimes gotten ahead of the science. Although its potential to repair and rebuild arthritis-damaged joints has not been fulfilled yet, it has had successes, especially for pain relief and functional improvements. And because the field, which has been largely unregulated, is booming, it’s attracted the attention of the Food and Drug Administration, which has recently issued guidance to help ensure patient safety.

Dr. Williams, who directs the Institute for Cartilage Repair at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City, says it’s important to separate what goes on in reputable research institutions from certain for-profit clinics that hawk therapies of questionable value.