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General info
Cartilage Repair Group is a Finnish network of clinicians and researchers interested in cartilage repair and cartilage tissue engineering. The head of the group is Dr. Ilkka Kiviranta, M.D., Ph.D, Orthopaedist-in-Chief at Jyväskylä Central Hospital in Jyväskylä, Finland. Cartilage Repair Group has pioneered in using autologous chondrocyte transplantation technique in Finland since 1997. The basic research facilities are at the Department of Anatomy, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland.Our clinical challenge is to offer full range of treatment options to our patients having cartilage problems. The methods aim at restoring damaged cartilage using novel biological restoration techniques, when ever possible. Our mission is to preserve the joint. The treatment options include methods such as arthroscopic surgery, osteotomies, autologous chondrocyte transplantation and arthroplasties. The quality of patient care is controlled by long-term follow-up of the patients, and by using cutting edge validation methods like quantitative MRI and cartilage indentation analysis to evaluate the patient outcome.
Basic science is focused on clinically relevant problems in the field of cartilage repair. We are particularly interested in tissue engineering of articular cartilage. Our strength is expertice in animal experiments and in histological, biochemical and biomechanical analysis of articular cartilage. At present we are evaluating several biodegradable scaffolds as candidates for cartilage repair.
We have dynamic collaboration to all medical faculties in Finland, and also active international teamwork with other scientists in this research field and with cartilage repair centers in Gothenburg and Boston.
Collaborators at the Cartilage Repair Center in Boston in February 2003. From left to right Ilkka Kiviranta, M.D., Ph.D; Lars Peterson, Professor; Tom Minas, M.D, M.S.; Carl Winalski, M.D.
We hope that this web site would make our work more familiar to you.
