Project Description: 

One out of every twelve hundred people in the US undergo arthroscopic surgery for articular cartilage knee repairs annually. Existing surgeries require tissue grafts or mesh seeded with stem cells; these surgeries are expensive, have long wait times, and have long recovery times with significant patients needing additional surgery. Nanochon has developed a novel solution to replace these surgeries; their implant is a 3D printed and fully synthetic biomaterial that promotes cartilage growth by replicating the structure of collagen matrix in the body. It’s a cost-effective alternative that can lead to better patient outcomes, shorter surgeries, and a faster recovery time. Our team Chondrolink has developed a surgical tool for minimally invasive insertion and placement of Nanochon’s implant to promote cartilage regrowth for articular cartilage defects. The device comes pre-packaged with the implant contained in saline and effectively deploys the implant on the lesion while ensuring proper placement. The implant is held flat between two atraumatic graspers with an outer sheath twisted over the implant, providing an even bend across the implant to fit through the portal into the knee space. When the device is used, the saline cap is taken off and the instrument is inserted through the cannula and into the joint space. The end is positioned over the cartilage lesion and the outer sheath is retracted. The forceps are opened, allowing the implant to drop into the lesion. The forceps can then be used to press the edges of the implant into the fibrin glue base. This mechanism was tested on deployment accuracy and safe implant interaction, providing us confidence that physician workflow stays consistent with this device and applicability for other joint surgeries is a possibility. The collaboration of Nanochon and Chondrolink would out-compete other surgeries to establish an affordable and readily available cartilage repair solution.

Dr. Nathan Castro

Chief Technology Officer

Nanochon