salubria/salucartilage

Hi all Salucartilage-interested people. I am going to Munich in the next 6-9 months to get this done. The doc there charges around 5,000 euros and says I am a good candidate after seeing my x-rays in Atlanta, when he was training U.S. doctors there. It will cost a lot more to have it done here. Plus I think it will take years after it is approved in the USA (maybe some time within the next year, he says), before insurance companies will cover it.
Does anyone have any more info on this procedure, have had it done, or know any additional negative or positive info? Thanks.

I was wrong: he has done more than 50 procedures. You stay in the 'clinic' overnight, but I think that is just a precaution: from what I've seen, it is less invasive than any simple arthroscopy, but he could tell you more. I didn't ask about follow-ups: I assumed none would be necessary, but it would be a good question. his email: fabio.sciarretta@tin.it Let me know what he says if you email him. He presented in Feb. in Wash DC but the exact dates i don't know. He will be attending the ISAKOS (an orthopedic conference) in Hollywood Fl, just north of Miami from approx 4/2-4/6(?) and has invited people to come down and visit personally with him. I haven't asked him about the failures outside of his general opionion, which is: he believes there are contra-indications that were not known at the time, but are now, and if followed, the implant should be fine. My big question now is, how long will they last? I know when they wear out, they are replacable, but I like to play tennis and bicycle and i could wear one out and the procedure is nearly $20K, so you want them to last! I would love to get a copy of the article. I will email you personally to see if you will send a copy. Thanks.

I have been in contact with the Italian doctor who has done approx 30 of these and knows of only two failures (not neccessarily his). He presented in Washington DC recently. I asked him if I would be able to continue playing tennis after this operation and he said that I would. The cost: 15K euros (approx $19K). I am not indicated for microfracture so this may be the only possibility short of TKR or waiting and hoping... his email address: fabio.sciarretta@tin.it Fabio Valerio Sciarretta, MD Rome Italy (n) I certainly wish the FDA would get off their *** and approve this here, but at least it is available. I am the one who discovered the article regarding the failure(s) in the first place, but am beginning to think this could be a good option.

Anonymous: Thank you.

Anonymous: Please tell me the name and approximate month of issue of the German language publication that had Dr. C. Meyer's article about the Salucartilage implant slippage. Thank you.

After accompanying an 80 year old friend (whom I met on this site & who DID NOT WANT to have TKR as he felt too young)to see one of the leading TKR docs in Denver for an exam of his Xrays, I can safely say that only the docs can determine whether you are ready for TKR. If too much cartilage is gone, then there is only TKR. Since there is no Salucartilage yet - which is what he was researching & the subject we met over, 10 months ago. The good news is the new TKR with Rotating Platform & titanium lasts a much longer time than it did for the active person. My friend Jack is very happy with his one new knee which the doc said he would not make a rotating one (For me he said he would, but Jack was grumpy about doc's decision) after 5 months and is having the 2nd one done in a week. (You can really only get one replacement when the TKR fails). Jack plans to keep hiking from June on. However, after seeing his xrays, I can tell you that his bones looked as if they had been sawn already - they were almost straight across, not much rounded shape to them and absolutely no gap - bone on bone - instead of a quarter of an inch gap between -they were worn from all the 100s of mountains he has hiked in Colorado over his 60 years or so. Walking downhill is the worst thing one can do for one's knees! I have some Grade IV fissuring =microfracture. I believe it was the best procedure baring Salucartilage - but I don't know your situation. Microfracture surgery - it takes an hour, out-patient, I did not need my Vicodin. I watched the arthroscopy on monitor & it was easy & painless. I believe the CMI (collagen meniscus implant) is the same. However, the rehab is long & difficult in both cases (probably for all procedures involving a weight-bearing surface - you just cannot bear weight for 8 weeks, period. Some people cheat, or the whole procedure fails. That is what has happened to some high profile footballplayers. I believed in HGH I would follow the same protocol as I did for microfracture. I am only 10 weeks out so cannot address the effectiveness of this procedure yet. It takes a total of 2 years to complete the process, with the first 6 months having to be VERY Careful on the leg in question. No jumping down onto decks or off cliffs. No skiing. No golf for the first 4 months-probably cause of the twisting. There is an extremely good website from a marathoner named Steve Woo - who had microfracture back in 1998 - I emailed him recently, & he told me he continued to run marathons after microfracture, but has stopped because he doesn't want to wear out his cartilage more or again, but he has a wonderful rehab protocol which I'll try to emmulate in 12 more weeks. If you want the website I'll look for it for you. or try Microfracture Woohoo.

Re Boron - since my microfracture procedure 10 weeks ago I have been taking 3mg boron, vitamin K, Ipriflavone & cod liver oil, flax seed oil, silica, bromelain, multivits & E, as well as a calcium/magnesium/zinc/phosphorus/potassium liguid supplement plus Glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM liquid joint formula. Faithfully. Who needs food? These ingredients obtained from a book -Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Looking at it again, it seems I am leaving out some inportant things - SAMe, SOD, TMG,CMO,DMG, Silica & Sea Cucumber. Well there goes my wine allowance. It says some of these may replace the joint fluid or protect it. Like you, it is the meniscus I need to grow or replace as there is only a fraction of it left - but decided I needed to prepare my bones for it by doing the microfracture procedure first. According to my doc, the healing process for the Collagen Meniscus Implant (or if the HGH works it would most probably be the same regimen) is 8 weeks on crutches followed by strict rehab for the next 4 months starting with spinning & swimming, light resistance cords, absolutely no twisting (golf)or load-bearing (skiing)apart from walking, biking, eliptical trainer, rower, etc. i.e. boring gym machines.

Lively discussion over on the other category! Much talk about HGH: I did have injections with Dr Farschian in July and did enjoy the experience tremendously (no, not the actual shots!) I learned a great deal and actually experienced a feeling of regrowth in the cartilage. However, I should have followed dr. **Dunn's** regimen for rehab, insomuch as i should have stayed off it for a month or more and Dr Farschian did not emphasize this enough. Moreover, prior to the injections, I had started developing a lesion which will grind down the new cartilage anyway and so should have undergone a microfracture (or carticel, or oats) or similar surgery to establish new cartilage in that area first. That way, the new cartilage would have a chance with HGH. I was the one who had posted the tome on 'intercushion' the other night and forgot to mention that the intercushion works only for bowlegged people (same as unispacer). Salucartilage will work for either condition (knock-knee'd, bowlegged or both, to an extent, i imagine). i just got in a pair of z-coils and have been walking around in them for the last hour and think: yeah i'd like to try playing a couple of sets in these! if they are as good as they feel right now, i might be able to stay in my doubles league for awhile. p.s. my wife says she should be able to get a copy of the german-language article through her school soon but is very busy with class so will have to wait a day or so.

Glad to read that you are monitoring this thread. You seem to have some rapport with the salucartilage people. I generally get no response to my emails when i try to contact them or other companies in this field, especially when their products are in the 'experimental' stages. I think what I read about the failure of salucartilage is actually relatively good news: it would be easier to fix a problem of 'popping out' than to fix one of 'wearing out', in my estimation. I optimistically think they will fix this and have the product available soon: I envision a combination of this and the 'ABS-Intercushion' for me, but it is possible that the intercushion alone would fix my problem: without an MRI and an expert assessment, I will not know for sure. so far, the only assessment i have had is from my orthopedist, who, of course, is ready to fix me up with a PKR or TKR. I am not ready for that since i am 49 and still very active. The biggest advantage to the salucartilage is that the recovery time is practically zero, possibly not so for the intercushion. The advantage of the intercushion is the superior cushioning, but lots of unknowns with it: if people experience recovery times like some have with the 'unispacer', that would be a deterrent. I compare the two since, in my mind, they are similar in some ways: the procedure to insert them is similar. my plan would be to get the salucartilage then supplement with the intercushion if and when it becomes more proven. I play tennis: cushioning is important and the 'intercushion' promises good shock absorpsion. Since I still have cartilage in the lateral compartments of my knees, I can alleviate my situation somewhat by using shoe orthotics and knee braces to stave off the inevitable. Tennis is a part of my life: to quit would impose a major lifestyle change. Keep after them!

I have access to some medical pubs through my wife, who is a P.T. and have found only that a salucartilage implant seemingly slipped out of place 6 months after insertion, as documented by a German doctor, C. Meyer in a German-language publication only a few months ago. I had access only to the abstract, so details were sketchy. The entire article would cost $35 which could be well worth it I suppose, but I am looking into ways to get the article for free through her sources. From what i have read so far, the best choices seem to be this treatment and one from a company in Minnesota, ABS, (advanced bio-surfaces, inc), makers of the 'intercushion', still in testing. In principle salucartilage seems like a perfect solution: in 30 minutes, you have a plug right where your pain was and you can turn right around and continue your activities. I like that. If they can fix the problems, I would be right there getting my knee drilled.

Please read my posting on Jan 1, 2005 on the "No Cartilage Left" posting subject regarding Salucartilage. I phined the company & was given information. Valerie.

My surgeon in Atlanta told me that problems occured with the clinical trials of SaluCartilage in Germany. It failed to hold up after implant so don't expect the FDA to approve this product soon.

I am also a candidate for Salucartilage. My surgeon in Atlanta is looking forward to this procedure. It was developed here at Georgia Tech by Dr. Ku. However, I cannot find out when it will be available. Were you able to find new information? S. Powell

Anyone out there know anything about salubria or salucartilage as it is also known. A bio-synthetic substance used to replace articular cartilage. Using it in Europe now and waiting for trials in USA.