Wear Patterns in Gonarthrosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Wear Patterns in Gonarthrosis
IRAS ID
167573
Contact name
Gareth Jones
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College and Imperial college NHS healthcare trust, Research Governance Manager
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 16 days
Research summary
Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of pain and disability in adults. It is caused by a progressive loss of the smooth cartilage which lines a healthy joint, and normally functions to absorb impacts and allow the free sliding of bones.
8.75 million people in the UK have sought treatment for osteoarthritis, with the knee being the most commonly affected joint. Exactly how osteoarthritis develops and progresses remains unclear, and in an attempt to better understand the disease, we wish to examine in minute detail, the pattern of cartilage loss in knee joints.
During knee replacement surgery for osteoarthritis a small section of the knee joint is removed in order for the knee replacement to fit correctly. This excised section of knee joint is normally thrown away, but instead, we wish to collect it for examination under a microscope using new techniques which allow us to see detail to 1/10th of the thickness of a human hair. Because we will be using sections of knee joint which are normally disposed of, this study will not in any way alter the patients' treatment. And hopefully the information gained will provide a novel insight into the changes associated with osteoarthritis and facilitate identification of therapeutic targets which might prevent disease progression.
REC name
North West - Liverpool Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/NW/1518
Date of REC Opinion
18 Dec 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion