New Implantable Shock Absorber Shows Potential in Clinical Trials

Sep, 2022 - By SMI

New Misha Knee System showed promising results in recent clinical trial by relieving pain and improving function when it acts as an implanted shock absorber

Knee pain related to osteoarthritis can be treated with range of treatments including knee joint replacement or even store-bought medications. Now a new technology, the Misha Knee System manufactured by Moximed, a California-based firm, showed promising results in a recent clinical trial as it relieved pain and improved functions in the subjects by acting as an implanted shock absorber.

The new system has to be anchored to the femur’s and tibia bones’ inner side. This system contains a steel piston on the top that slides inside and out of a flexible cylinder made from polymer present on the bottom. The piston compresses the cylinder due to which it bulges outwards in response and absorbs much of the energy preventing it from going into the knee joint. This results into 30% reduction in pressure on the knee with each step.

As reported by the company, the Misha system can be implanted through an outpatient procedure by a single incision under the skin. The knee does not get any restrictions in weight-bearing or motion range, when the device is implanted. Moreover, it the device does not cause any harm to tendons, bones and the cartilage, which makes way for new alternative treatments. When tested in 81 knee patients in a clinical trial, it was found that 90% of subjects exhibited considerably reduced pain scores and significant improvement in function scores with 86% of success rate of the device.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is now reviewing the trial results, as the results are considered better than success rate of traditionally performed surgery called high tibial osteotomy.