Regenerative Medical Services (RMS) Regrow, a leading Indian stem cell therapy service provider, and Dr Anant Joshi, an orthopaedic surgeon with arthroscopy, successfully treated a cricket player who was suffering from osteochondritis dissecans by using a new stem cell therapy called 'cartilage RMP-Chondron'.

Twenty-one-year-old Ankit Parashar, state level cricketer was diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans, a joint disorder in which cracks form in the articular cartilage and the underlying subchondral bone. Two arthroscopic procedures were conducted on Ankit by Dr Joshi but there was no relief to his acute knee pain. Later as advised by Dr Joshi, Ankit opted for this new stem cell therapy.

Total time period of cartilage RMP-Chondron treatment is nine months approximately and it costs around Rs 2 lakh in India. This technology was found by a Korean scientist. This technology became commercial in year 2001. Regrow has helped in treatment of around 10 such cases in India. Cartilage RMP-Chondron treatment is a procedure in which patient's own 6-7 mm cartilage tissue from normal femoral articular cartilage is collected, chondrocytes (cartilage forming cells) are cultured for over four weeks, and implanted onto the defect in the patient's affected joint.

Explaining about the procedure, Dr Joshi said, "Cartilage RMP-Chondron treatment conduct is two important sections. In first section, the defected area of the knee is cleaned and few cells are removed from the healthier side of the knee. These cells are then sent for cell culturing wherein it is grown as per requirement. In the second section we open the knee and inject the cultured cells in the defected area. This procedure is done without hospitalization of the patient."

Talking about the stem cell therapy, Satyen Sanghvi, chief scientific officer, RMS Regrow said, "Cartilage RMP-Chondron is the most advanced autologous cartilage cell therapy which helps patients suffering from cartilage defects in knee and other joints problems. The best part of this cell therapy is that it has no side effects as the implanted cells are patient's own cells and following a rehabilitation protocol, sportsman can be given 100 per cent pain relief and can achieve full mobility as the cartilage regenerates to hyaline or hyaline-like normal characteristic type of cartilage of pre-injury status."