Biological Knee Replacement

[Vivacious Granny]

Hello,  Has anyone had a biological knee replacement done?  If so how did it go.  If not, does anyone have any information about the procedure.  I read about the preceedure in the AARP magazine.  Only one doctor is discussed in the article.  His name is Dr. Kevin Stone and he is in California.  I am on the East Coast and am looking for a competent physician who performs this surgery closer to where I live.  Any information you can give me about this would be greatly appreciated!  Thank you in advance!  VG

[djlaw]

Hi, I am in the process of researching biological knee replacement. Kevin Stone's name keeps coming up since his clinic is in North America and he has been in the news lately. I have also found Dr. Toft of the Alpha Klinik in Munich, Germany. The procedure that is used by Dr. Toft's clinic is called abrasion arthroplasy which will allow the cartilage in the knee to be regrown. It appears that this technique has been clinically applied for approximately 15 years and has been highly successful. It also appears that this technique may be offered by institutions in the US. I'm in the process of trying to find which institutions offer this technique in both Canada and the US. I am a Canadian citizen. Have you found anything in your search?

dj

[JmeDakev]

Greetings. After reading this post, I've done some research on this procedure and I think this may be the solution to my problem. I was originally diagnosed with significant thinning of the interior cartilage of my knee (I don't have the radiology report in front of me). I'm in the Army so when I got that diagnosis, they just had me walk instead of run. That was 4 years ago. Now I'm 31, and the pain is much more intolerable. I just had knee scopes done, with a micro fracture on my right knee. The left knee was scoped but not micro fractured. Now the surgical wounds have healed, and my range of motion is back, but I'm waking up with that dull nagging achy tightness in both knees and I'm heart broken. At this point I'd prefer to be a guinea pig for my surgeon to try this procedure. What is the worst that can happen... I can't walk normally? I can't walk normally as it is. I read on Stone's website the procedure has a success rate our of 84%. I hope to see my surgeon next month. In that time I'm going to make a strong case for this procedure. Have you had any luck finding someone to take on your case?

[PTCTom]

I met with Dr. Stone in June '07.  I wanted the biological knee replacement.  The ACL repair and the meniscus allograft are the easy part.  The articular repair is the tricky part.  Dr. Stone uses the 'paste grafting' method which is your own articular cartilage ground up and placed in the defect.  I asked my old Orthro surgeon about it and he said don't do it, it doesn't work.  However, I still am inclined to proceed.  It's very expensive to...Dr. Stone's fees were around $23K.  Add to this all the equipment, pain machine, PT, etc and you're easily in the $35K to $40K range.  My insurance will pay 70% but that still a good chuck of change out of pocket.

[DrJeej]

Dear Friends,
I am an Orthopaedician located in india and happened to tumble on this website while surfing on the net. The whole concept of biological knee is just evolving, the doctors are at the bottom of the learning curve.The concepts of cloning one's own  knee and getting it replaced may not be a distant dream.I can probably tell u what is the cheapest and the best option for you. In my practice in the last few months I have been doing fewer knee replacements than before, this is because I have been making my patients undergo the cytotron therapy, a non invasive procedure lasting for 21 days needing an hours therapy daily. patients have quit walking sticks and wheel chairs and have been up on their feet and all at a very meagre price.iam sure this is the future till cloning comes at an affordable price. If  u want to know more do write to ***@**** . i may take a few deays to reply since Iam not regular with my mail checks, this is because I have a heavy OUT PaTIENT and operatives daily. Today is a holiday and am enjoying a very wanted rest.  

[gmb007]

please give me further info on the cytotron therapy.  Eight months ago I had arthroscopic surgery on my right knee.  I had a torn meniscus which was not repairable.  The medial meniscus was shaved and the lateral was dramatically cut back leaving a very small portion left.  Routine activity is not problematic, however, my objective is to get back on the tennis court.  I am fifty eight years old in good health and fitness other than the knee, I had hoped that the biologic knee repair was a possible answer to my situation, apparently, you do not agree. Is cytotron therapy a possible solution and if so is there an institution in the U.S. that provides this type of therapy.

Many thanks for your advice.

GMB

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

There doesn't seem to be a location in the US where a patient can get Cytotron therapy .  Any on have any suggestions?  Thanks

[MOMAZ55]

DEAR DR.JEEJ;
I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR 15 YEARS OR SO FOR THIS KIND ON INFO REGARDING KNEE REPLACEMENT . WHEN I WAS 27 YEARS OLD I WAS TOLD I HAD OSTEOARTHRITES .SINCE THAT TIME IT GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND WITH WEIGHT AND AGE I HAVE BEEN ON A CANE AND WHEEL CHAIR FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS NOW AND I'M NOW 62 YEARS OLD...I CAN'T STAND THIS PAIN ANY LONGER IF THERE IS ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN GIVE ME ON THIS THERAPY PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW TO GO ABOUT IT ,,CYTOTRON THERAPY?I WROT DR. STONE ABOUR 13 YEARS AGO ASKING ABOUT THE KNEE SURGERY THAT WAS LESS INVASIVE AND IT WAS SO OUT OF MY REACH FINANCIALLY I JUST GAVE UP THE OPTION ...I NEED RELIEF FROM PAIN MED'S I'M VERY HEALTH FOR NOW BUT I'M AFRAID WITH HAVING TO TAKE PAIN MED'S ON A DAILY BASIS IT WILL TAKE ITS TOLL ON MY BODY. I'M A YOUNG 62 YEAR OLD OFTEN CONFUSSED FOR 30 OR LATE 40'S AT THE MOST ,I HAVE A LOT OF ENERGY AND LIFE LEFT IN ME AND I WOULD LIKE TO ENJOY SOME OF IT BEFORE I LEAVE HERE .ESPECIALLY TO DANCE AGAIN ...THANK YOU

[Mickey175]

I went to see Dr.Stone.He is very selective and this biological procedure is not for everyone even if you can afford it.I was very disappointed.So don.t have high hopes about it.I also heard about the Cytotron therapy in Bangalore,India.Has anyone had it?Any info?Does it work?
Tigerpaws.

[MICHELYNEMIDGE]

I have undergone through the biological knee replacement  from Dr Jonathan Franklin of Orthopedic Specialists of Seattle. Now i am perfectly fine. Thanks to the orthopedic specialists of Seattle.

[MICHELYNEMIDGE]

You can contact Knee replacement specialists Dr Jonathan Franklin on the http://www.orthopedicspecialistsofseattle.com/ or can contact him on [phone]