The Arthritis Foundation reports that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the first implantable shock absorber for people with early-stage knee osteoarthritis (OA). The device is intended for patients who have pain despite receiving nonsurgical treatments such as weight loss and physical therapy but aren’t ready for total knee replacement. 

By reducing one-third of the normal weight-bearing load on the medial (inner) side of the knee, the system relieves stress on the joint. The device is designed to postpone arthroplasty in some patients, acting as a bridge between conservative treatment and knee replacement, especially for younger, active people. 

Anil  S. Ranawat, MD, sports medicine surgeon at HSS said that the device “fills a treatment gap for early arthritis in these patients.” 

The nonrandomized clinical trial leading to FDA approval compared the system with high tibial osteotomy (HTO) — an operation that adds or removes bone to shift weight from the damaged side of the knee joint. The benefits of HTO last eight to 10 years, and the surgery is not considered a permanent stand-in for knee replacement. Dr. Ranawat, one of the study authors, noted that the shock absorber can be temporary or permanent.

Read the full article at arthritis.org.