Conservative Therapy for Meniscus Damage
Is that possible? Does an operation not have to be performed?
In most cases, the operation for a meniscus-rupture serves initially only to combat pain. If the pain can be treated differently, immediate surgery is not necessary.
During the operation (arthroscopy), a part of the meniscus is usually removed, which the joint then permanently lacks. As a result, osteoarthritis, an early wear and tear of the joint, develops relatively frequently later.
It therefore makes sense to try to preserve or repair the meniscus. If this turns out to be impossible later on, the operation can still be performed.
Since 2011, we have had very positive experience with EOT II therapy in over 50 patients with meniscus tears who have opted for such an alternative treatment.
The therapy results so far are promising, although it must be pointed out that the scientific analysis and discussion is still pending. It is also not yet possible to make any predictions about the long-term perspective.
We puplished these results for the first time at the 1st International Symposium for Molecular Medicine, June 10th and 11th, 2016, Düsseldorf. The entire presentation can be downloaded here.
What was the treatment like in 2011?
If a meniscus rupture was detected in a patient with knee pain during magnetic resonance imaging, we left it to him/her to choose the method of treatment. In most patients who opted for the EOT II method, 4 injections were then administered to the affected knee joint at intervals of 1 week each. The injections are largely painless, as a local anaesthetic is used for the canal. In some patients this series of injections was repeated. Between the injections, the patients were able to move around normally in everyday life, only sporting activities should be avoided.
Treatment results:
Most of the patients were free of complaints and were able to exercise again.
No significant side effects or complications occurred. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on almost all patients before and after treatment to document the healing process. 4 patients were not permanently free of symptoms and were finally operated on. Download results in detail here.
Can EOT II heal a meniscus tear?
What is EOT II? EOT II is obtained from the patient's own blood and contains only the body's own substances which are produced by the patient's own blood cells and which are subsequently enriched in the patient's serum freed from the blood cells by the orthokinetic production method.
Of the various natural substances in the serum, two are particularly important for the therapy. The first operates anti-inflammatory (IL 1 alpha - antagonist), and the second one is a growth factor. This results in a remission of the inflammation, caused by the defective meniscus in the knee, and thus a decrease in pain. The growth factors then support the healing of the meniscus tear.
Basically, this therapy method copies the natural process that nature has developed for injuries: for example, when you cut yourself, you bleed. The blood cells secrete the same substances that are enriched in the EOT II and also heal a cut! This self-healing mechanism was developed by nature and can also be used by EOT II therapy.
Further development of this conservative therapy for meniscus tears
Watch movie about the new method