StemCell Therapy

BALTIMORE

Arthritis of the big toe can be very painful and debilitating.

But now there is a new procedure, approved by the FDA in July that has patients back on their feet, pain-free in no time. The procedure is now available at Mercy Medical Center.

For Marilyn Karr, being able to bend her big toe is a big deal. For a long time she suffered with debilitating arthritis in her big toe, but not anymore.

I love it, Karr said. I'm out of pain for the first time in several years. I've had pain for a long time.

Karr said she is free of pain thanks to a new surgical procedure using a synthetic cartilage implant called cartiva.

I saw a significant difference within hours, Karr said.

Mercy Medical Center surgeon Dr. Clifford Jeng said fusing the joints together used to be the gold standard for treating arthritis in the big toe. That procedure took away the pain, but patients lost range of motion.

Now there is cartiva, which is made out of the same material as contact lenses.

It just so happens that this material called poly-vinyl alcohol has the same mechanical properties as human cartilage, Jeng said. And we just push it in. And you can see, that keeps the arthritis surfaces apart so they don't rub and grind and cause pain, and it allows you to keep your range of motion.

Jeng said the new procedure makes for a much easier recovery.

With the fusion, you have to wear a special shoe for 12 weeks and walk on your heel, Jeng said. This one, two weeks in a little protective shoe and you're back to sneakers.

Karr said she can now take long walks again, and can even do yoga.

I'm pretty much fully functioning for an old lady, Karr said.

WEBVTT MINDY: FOR MARILYN KARR, BEINGABLE TO BEND HER BIG TOE LIKETHIS IS A BIG DEAL.FOR A LONG TIME SHE SUFFEREDWITH DEBILITATING ARTHRITIS INHER BIG SHOW.NOT ANYMORE.>> I LOVE IT.I AM OUT OF PAIN FOR THE FIRSTTIME IN SEVERAL YEARS.I HAVE HAD PUT PAIN FOR A LONGTIME.MINDY OUT OF PAIN THANKS TO A: NEW SURGICAL PROCEDURE USING ASYNTHETIC CARTILAGE IMPLANTCALLED CARTIVA.>> I SAW SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCEWITHIN HOURS.MINDY: MERCY MEDICAL CENTERSURGEON DR. CLIFFORD JENG SAYSTHIS USED TO BE THE GOLDSTANDARD FOR TREATING ARTHRITISIN THE BIG TOE FUSING THE JOINTSTOGETHER.IT TOOK AWAY THE PAIN, BUTPATIENTS LOST RANGE OF MOTION.THIS IS CARTIVA, IT'S MADE OUTOF THE SAME MATERIAL AS CONTACTLENSES.>> THIS MATERIAL HAS THE SAMECHEMICAL PROPERTIES AS HUMANCARTILAGE AND WE JUST PUSH ITIN.YOU CAN SEE AND THAT KEEPS THEARTHRITIC SURFACES APART SO THEYDO NOT RUB AND GRIND AND CAUSEPAIN.IT ALLOWS YOU TO KEEP YOURMOTION.MINDY DR. JENG SAYS IT'S A MUCH: EASIER RECOVERY.>> FUSION YOU HAVE TO WEARSPECIAL SHOE AND WALK ON YOURHEEL.THIS ONE YOU ARE BACK ON SEEKERSWITH A PROTECTIVE SHIELD.MINDY MARILYN SAYS NOW SHE CAN: TAKE LONG WALKS AGAIN, CANEVEN DO YOGA.

Read more:
Woman's Doctor: New procedure helps treat big toe arthritis - WBAL Baltimore

This entry was posted on February 20, 2017 at 11:46 pm and is filed under Arthritis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |