ROORKEE: Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee (IIT-R), have developed a new method for treating osteoarthritis (OA).

Under the new method, a nano-material and a polymer are injected around the knee joint followed by a regular heat therapy, which is believed to be far superior to the conventional treatment administered in the form of multiple injections and anti-inflammatory drugs like steroids, which have critical side effects.

A research journal named ‘Springer’ has reportedly published the research paper titled ‘Systematic investigation and in vitro biocompatibility studies on implantable magnetic nanocomposites or hyperthermia treatment of osteoarthritis knee joins’ in its latest issue written by institute’s researchers K L Yadav, S Satapathi, P Roy, R Mishra and S Mohanpatra.

According to human physiology, knee joint is most common site of OA, a degenerative joint disease that gradual loses cartilage of joint resulting in inflammation of bone and joint, and stiffness due to vasodilation in and around the joint. The present available treatment for OA is based on the administration of intra-articular injections like hyaluronan and anti-inflammatory drugs to the patient.

“But the side effect of this treatment is of serious nature as anti-inflammatory drugs are steroids that cause skin and joint infection and oral supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate are not natural prognosis of the disease. Hence, we have developed a low-cost, affordable, simple therapeutic modality for effective inhibit the progression of OA at the early state,” said Yadav, professor and head of physics department at IIT-R.

Institute’s researchers developed the material in liquid form after mixing nanoparticles of ferromagnetic substance with an insulating polymer like polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF).

“It (composites) is injected into the joint area and after that hyperthermia treatment through electromagnetic radian is given to patient in regular intervals. The heat produced by the nonoparticles is to be dissipated over a longer period of time but PVDF does diminution of the bad heating effects of magnetic composite simultaneously,” he added.

To ensure safe biomedical application of their research, researchers took help of COMSOL multi-physics software for modelling of treatment of OA and also examined various angles of tissue structures, including cytotoxicity on human kidney cell lines. “We found that tissues are not changed after the treatment. And, as heat dissipates for a longer time over affected joint in a smooth manner, it ultimately goes to in the favour of patient,” said the professor.

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