Cartilage treatment
AssigneeDiscure Technologies Ltd.
InventorsYossi Gross, Yuval Mandelbaum
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus is provided for treating hyaline cartilage of a subject, the apparatus including a chondral implant, which includes a first exposed electrode surface and which is configured to be implanted in osteochondral tissue of the subject. A second exposed electrode surface is configured to be implanted in a body of the subject. Control circuitry is configured to promote regeneration of the hyaline cartilage by driving the first and the second exposed electrode surfaces to drive nutrients toward the first exposed electrode surface. Other embodiments are also described.
Claims27
Apparatus for treating hyaline cartilage of a subject, the apparatus comprising:
- a chondral implant, which comprises a first exposed electrode surface and which is configured to be implanted in osteochondral tissue of the subject;
- a second exposed electrode surface, which is configured to be implanted in a body of the subject;
- and
- control circuitry, which is configured to promote regeneration of the hyaline cartilage by cyclically:
- driving the first and the second exposed electrode surfaces to electroosmotically drive fluid containing nutrients toward the first exposed electrode surface for periods of time having a duration of at least 3 minutes, and
- providing rest periods during which the nutrient-containing fluid is not electroosmotically driven toward the first exposed electrode surface.
Apparatus for treating hyaline cartilage of a subject, the apparatus comprising:
- a chondral implant, which comprises a first exposed electrode surface and which is configured to be implanted in osteochondral tissue of the subject;
- a second exposed electrode surface, which is configured to be implanted in a body of the subject;
- and
- control circuitry, which is configured to promote regeneration of the hyaline cartilage by driving the first and the second exposed electrode surfaces to drive nutrients toward the first exposed electrode surface, by applying a voltage between the first and the second exposed electrode surfaces.
Apparatus for treating hyaline cartilage of a subject, the apparatus comprising:
- a chondral implant, which comprises a first exposed electrode surface and which is configured to be implanted in osteochondral tissue of the subject;
- a second exposed electrode surface, which is configured to be implanted in a body of the subject;
- and
- control circuitry, which is configured to promote regeneration of the hyaline cartilage by cyclically:
- driving the first and the second exposed electrode surfaces to electroosmotically drive fluid containing nutrients toward the first exposed electrode surface, and
- providing rest periods during which the nutrient-containing fluid is not electroosmotically driven toward the first exposed electrode surface,
- wherein the control circuitry is configured to sense a voltage between the first and the second exposed electrode surfaces during each of the rest periods, and upon detection of a reduction of the sensed voltage to below a threshold value, again begin electroosmotically driving the nutrient-containing fluid toward the first exposed electrode surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.