Held earlier this year in Munich, Germany, MD Biologix President Murray Downs was joined by Dr. Alex Wasserman (Group23) and Dr. Nathan Thakur (RegenerativeMD) at the Aptissen Academy 2023 meeting.
This annual meeting brings global experts in viscosupplementation together to explore current research and best practices.
We caught up with Dr. Nathan Thakur to get his meeting highlights and the most impactful presentations.
Osteoarthritis Demographics, Epidemiology & Research
Dr. Ali Mobishari (UK) and Dr. Camilla Cohen (Brazil)
Medical providers have the potential to positively impact the decline a patient experiences if they assess and give the correct treatment earlier in the course of joint degradation. Despite osteoarthritis discomfort and mobility issues being one of the top detractors for a patient's quality of life, preventable joint degradation is significantly under-reported, identified too late and not proactively treated by the medical community.
Early intervention is key and appreciated by patients, signalling to a patient that a physician is looking after their future and is serious about preventative healthcare. Waiting for a patient to report significant discomfort is not the way of the future. Joint replacements can be potentially minimized if physicians assess and proactively treat joint disease. Exercise and strengthening programs should be simultaneously used with HA treatment for optimal results.
Viscosupplementation & Treatment Modalities
Dr. Patrick Goh (Singapore), Dr. Catala Lehnen (Germany), Dr. Urzula Dzanowicz (Poland)
Treatments are best delivered under image guidance. For the knee joint, even in the hands of an experienced practitioner, approximately one in six injections done blind will miss. This miss rate increases with other joints as they can be more difficult to access. Injecting without image guidance can lead to complications but more importantly, ineffective treatment delivery and poses a significant cost and loss of trust.
According to research presented at Aptissen Academy, combination therapy of HA and PRP leads to better patient reported outcomes, especially for grade III osteoarthritis of the knee. HA can be used to give a more immediate response while waiting for PRP to take its full effect.
Global Experience with Synolis
Dr. Olivier Bruyere (France) and Dr. Camilla Cohen (Brazil)
Synolis VA has at least the same effect as Synvisc, but its specific properties are more designed for movement and activity. A thorough, randomized control trial has shown non-inferiority to Synvisc.
Synolis VA is highly used around the world: especially in Brazil and Europe. Research has largely been conducted in France and clinical application has shown tremendous success in Brazil and Europe. Combination therapy of HA and PRP has been applied to numerous patients to give the most optimal treatment. In Brazil, experience with soccer players has been very positive. A number of ex-professional players have used combination therapy to preserve their joints.
This blog post provides general information to help the reader better understand regenerative medicine, musculoskeletal health, and any related subjects. The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and may not reflect the views and opinions of MDBiologix. All content provided in this blog, website, or any linked materials, including text, graphics, images, patient profiles, outcomes, and information, are not intended and should not be considered or used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please always consult with a professional and certified healthcare provider to discuss if any treatment is right for you.