A team of clinicians and researchers led by Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is working on a treatment method based on nanostructural polymers to counter the medical condition called heterotopic ossification that commonly occurs subsequent to amputations, orthopedic surgeries and bone trauma.
Heterotopic ossification is the pathological bone growth in the soft tissues around the bone area that has been operated upon or undergone trauma. The unwanted bone has the appearance of gravel pieces and is a source of great pain and discomfort at the operated site or at the amputation stump to which a prosthetic limb is attached.
Data indicates that 60% of bone injuries suffered by defense personnel resulting in amputation lead to heterotopic ossification. Considering this, the United States Department of Defense has allocated a $2.93 million grant to be disbursed over a three year period for the research carried out by CMU in conjunction with the University of Michigan, the West Point United States Military Academy and the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth. The research which adopts a patient-centric approach involves the use of a nanostructural polymer composite developed at CMU to transport distinct RNA to cells at the site of trauma to prevent heterotopic ossification.
According to Jeffrey O. Hollinger, CMU’s Head of Bone Tissue Engineering Center, heterotopic ossification is prevalent outside the military population too with over 90% of hip replacement procedures performed among the civilian populace of U.S., leading to heterotopic ossification. The therapy developed by CMU is yet to receive a patent. On completion of the laboratory testing of the preventive therapy, clinical trials for the same will be organized.
Source: http://www.cmu.edu/