Investment in unique joint saving treatment for young patients with severe knee osteoarthritis

ArthroSave has developed the KneeReviver, a validated method to postpone the need for knee arthroplasty for young patients suffering from an end stage knee osteoarthritis. Knee distraction with the KneeReviver results into a prolonged relief of pain, improvement of function and significant cartilage tissue repair. OostNL, together with MSB Isala and Weskiway do invest in ArthroSave, enabling further implementation of the KneeReviver in clinical practice.

More and more young patients with knee joint osteoarthritis get a knee prosthesis

Knee osteoarthritis can still not be cured. Prolonged medical treatment and loss of labour participation result in high expenses for patients, the healthcare system, and the society. The final treatment of knee osteoarthritis is replacement of the own knee (cartilage and bone) by a prosthesis (metal and plastic). The current aging population will be more active than before and the age on which patients will get a knee arthroplasty is decreasing. Combined with the limited lifespan of a prostheses this treatment results in the need for revision surgery later in life. These facts will increase the need for more and more complicated and expensive revision surgery to replace the initial prothesis by a revision prosthesis showing unfortunately much less satisfactory results of treatment. Especially patients who got a knee prothesis under the age of 65 years, are at risk of such revision surgery. In Europe over a one third of knee prosthesis is placed below the age of 65 years.

 Knee distraction: saving your own knee

ArthroSave has developed in collaboration with the UMC Utrecht the KneeReviver. The KneeReviver is an external fixator enabling knee joint distraction. Knee joint distraction is a surgical procedure in which both bony ends of a joint are gradually separated a few millimetres for a period of 6 weeks. This creates conditions for joint tissue repair. The pain will decrease, patients will function better and the degenerated cartilage will increase in thickness. Knee joint distraction could delay the need for a joint prosthesis for many years with preservation of the own knee, as demonstrated in several clinical studies. Such a delay may result into a placement of a first knee prosthesis at a much older age, and if so, avoiding the need for later revision surgery. Placement of a first prosthesis after knee joint distraction is feasible without any restrictions, lasting lifelong. Therefore, knee distraction may not only be beneficial for patients but also for healthcare organisations and the society in terms of efficacy and cost effectiveness.

Further implementation of the KneeReviver

Karianne Lindenhovius, CEO ArthroSave: “With the expertise and knowledge of OostNL, MSB Isala, and Weskiway ArthroSave has incorporated partners enabling us to further introduce the KneeReviver in the `Netherlands and Europe”.

Wilko de Vette, OostNL: “We have watched ArthroSave’s KneeReviver development for some time now. The company has reached the moment to apply the KneeReviver in healthcare practice and we clearly see the potential and added value for the patient. With this investment the next step can be made in the process to implement this innovation in the clinic and it enables ArthroSave to realise their international ambitions”.

Hans Geertman, MSB Isala: “With the KneeReviver a novel treatment can be introduced to a large group of patients whose quality of life will significantly improve. Costs of care are reduced while the quality of care will increase. That is the reason why this investment has a good fit with us”.

Wim Das, Weskiway: “Knee osteoarthritis has a considerably negative influence on the personal lifes of patients suffering from it. By the investment in ArthroSave I can contribute to a solution for patients with osteoarthritis. The KneeReviver has received CE marking, together with this investment round knee distraction will become available for the European market.

For more information: karianne.lindenhovius@arthrosave.com