Jul 30, 2008 6:03 pm US/Eastern
HealthWatch: Dog Treatment That Works For Humans
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Every year, more than one million people suffer a knee injury that can
lead to lifelong problems because of the way surgeons have to fix it.
KDKA
It's happened to David Ortiz and Tiger Woods – a tear in the knee
cartilage or meniscus.
John Studley ripped his meniscus playing hockey.
"It was painful," Studley said. "And going through the process of
rehabbing, every time I buckled the knee, it hurt quite a bit."
Every year, more than one million people suffer a knee injury that can
lead to lifelong problems because of the way surgeons have to fix it.
Aging dogs often get the same injury, but one enterprising veterinarian
may have discovered a cure for both canines and humans.
The meniscus is a small, rubbery part of the knee.
"It's function is to take care of the joint surfaces, so they don't
deteriorate and get arthritis in the future," Dr. John Richmond, New
England Baptist Hospital, said.
Unfortunately, 90 percent of meniscus tears can't be repaired because
there's no blood flowing to that part of the body.
Instead, the torn piece has to be removed surgically, and there are side
effects.
"That joint is doomed to having arthritis," Dr. James Cook, a professor of
veterinary medicine, said.
And that's where man's best friend comes in.
Dogs have knees similar to those of humans, and the fact that they get the same injuries may eventually translate into better treatment for humans.
Dr. Cook tries to give his four-legged patients the best. Instead of
removing the torn meniscus, he invented a device called a "bioduct."
"This device will let the cells come in, the blood supply come in, heal
the tear, and then go away," Cook said. "It's bio-absorbable."
This way, the meniscus is repaired, not removed.
"We save the meniscus in its entirety," Cook said. "We save the function
of the knee."
Starting in the fall, Dr. Richmond will be using the FDA-approved
"bioduct" in human patients.
"It will improve healing on what we currently repair, and may actually –
as we go forward – allow us to repair tears that we couldn't [before],"
Richmond said.
"Anything that can prevent you from getting arthritis down the road is
fantastic," Studley said.
Not all meniscus tears require surgery.
Depending on the severity of the injury, the treatment of choice can range
from physical therapy to anti-inflammatory medications to cortisone
injections.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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