Treating degenerative disc disease with harvested disc cells and analogues of the extracellular matrix

Abstract

Living intervertebral disc cells are harvested, cultured and combined with type-specific collagen-glycosaminoglycan extracellular matrix analogues to restore disc function and eliminate pain in patients with disc disease. In the preferred embodiment, the engineered disc tissue is morselized to allow insertion through a small puncture in the annulus fibrosis with a needle and syringe. Additional therapeutic substances such as culture medium, growth factors, differentiation factors, hydrogels polymers, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medications, or immunosuppressive medications are disclosed as additives to the engineered disc tissue.

Claims aren’t available for this document.