As the first company worldwide, ATRO Medical has started a clinical trial on a lateral artificial meniscus. For the first time ever, an absent meniscus in the outer knee compartment is replaced by an artificial meniscus, the Artimis® Meniscus Prosthesis. The first patient in this study has been treated at the Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen.
ATRO Medical is the first worldwide to conduct clinical research into the functioning of an artificial outer meniscus, the lateral meniscus. For the first time ever, an absent meniscus in the outer part of the knee will be replaced by an artificial meniscus, the Artimis® Meniscus Prosthesis. Recently, the first patient successfully received this innovative artificial meniscus. This operation marks an important milestone in the research and brings ATRO Medical one step closer to a possible solution for thousands of patients with chronic knee pain. As of September 2024, there is room for sixteen patientsin the EARTH study. The study will be conducted at the Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen under supervision of orthoapedic surgeon Dr. van de Groes.
ATRO Medical and Radboudumc are proud of this premiere. The study ion the lateral meniscus prosthesis investigates its safety and effectiveness. The Nijmegen company wants to demonstrate that this procedure leads to substantial pain reduction in patients with chronic knee pain. Patients who have previously had the meniscus (or part of it) removed run the risk of chronic knee pain, so-called post-meniscectomy pain. Thousands of patients in the Netherlands suffer from this. And for only a few, a surgical solution is applicable. The first operation represents an important step in demonstrating the effectiveness of this innovative treatment method.
ATRO Medical's innovation brings back the shock-absorbing effect of the natural meniscus in the knee. The implant is made of polycarbonate urethane (PCU), a material that is known in the medical world for its safe application. It is used in orthopaedics and cardiac surgery. This material is durableand safe for use in the human body. The meniscus prosthesis is implanted via tiny incisions. This is a familiar procedure for sports medicine surgeons. The entire procedure takes less than an hour.
In the EARTH study, patients are operated on at the Radboudumc and then rehabilitate under the supervision of a physiotherapist. They are monitored for two years by the orthopaedic research group, to be certain about the functioning of Artimis®. The first patient is already being closely monitored to see how the artificial meniscus functions. This provides valuable insights for further study. The meniscus prosthesis is only available via this study.
Are you interested in participating in the EARTH study? Please register on our patient page. Registration can only be done in Dutch for now. Our apologies, but that is a study requirement.
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As Chief Implementations Officer, Maarten navigates the route to patients and financial resources.
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