AUTOLOGOUS CHONDROCYTE TRANSPLANTATION/IMPLANTATION

VERSUS EXISTING TREATMENTS

by the MRCISCRCTN 48911177

NEWSLETTERDECEMBER 2005 Issue 8

Greetings to you all from the ACTIVE team here at Oswestry. Let’s hope some of our patients eventually feel like getting their skis on after their treatment! (I’m thinking especially about the Norwegians here!)

Progress Summary

Well done again to the Trondheimteam for recruiting 17 patients. I’m expecting more centres to get off the ‘starting blocks’ in the New Year. Our list of centres will also increase - at least another 10 centres are expected to come on board next year. So with lots of work next year, we have a chance to meet those recruitment targets!

Sports Knee Surgery Conference

Thanks to Tim Spalding and Damian Griffin for organising this event.Much interest was generated about ACTIVE and we received a lot of support from many surgeons wishing to sign up to the trial.

ACI Training at Oswestry

Surgical training daysare being run on 14th & 17th Feb, & 7th March. Whether you are new to ACI or just need a refresher course please contact me to book a place. The following surgeons have so far booked:

14th Feb: Glyn Evans - London Knee Group

Venkat Satish - Swindon

17th Feb: Philip Turner – Stockport

David Johnson – Stockport

Peter Hill – Camberley, Surrey

Abdek Hasson – Cherstey, Surrey

Ian McDermott – Southall, London

7th March:Mike Radford – Weston-super-Mare

ACTIVE Treatment

The Treatment Record form asks you to report the depth of defect and this means how much bone (not cartilage). So if the defect is down to bone please write the depth is 0.

Remember periosteum is a sub-randomisation arm for ACI so you must be prepared to use periosteum if this is the allocated treatment.

Co-ordinators’ Study Day

Thanks to those of you who made this latest event very worthwhile – I’ll aim to run one more for those of you who couldn’t make the previous dates. A similar event is in the pipeline for assessors.

Best wishes,

Heather Smith (ACTIVE Trial Manager)

Tel: 01691 404142