Healthcare Breakthrough: New Collagen Gel Saves Leg From Amputation

LONDON, February 12 - Dr Ananthram Shetty, orthopaedic surgeon based in England, has recently
performed a world's first to save a climbers leg using a ground-breaking
technique combining collagen gel and stem cells to fuse bone together.

Mr Shetty recently used the new technique on Andrew Kent from Gillingham,
Kent, after he badly broke his leg and traditional surgery failed. For the
first time ever doctors used stem cells to heal bones in a technique that
could revolutionise orthopaedic operations.

Initially Mr Kent had been warned he faced amputation when a large
boulder fell on his right leg, breaking it in five places in April 2009. His
tibia had broken through the skin above his ankle. He was taken to the
Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, where he underwent three operations to pin
his bones back together. But his wound became seriously infected and he was
transferred to the Spire Alexandra Hospital, Kent. Surgeons warned that he
was likely to lose his leg unless they tried the new procedure.

"Receiving that news is devastating," Mr Kent said. "But I'm now
delighted. I can wiggle my toes and the prognosis is encouraging."

Mr Shetty removed stem cells from Mr Kent's hip bone-marrow. These were
mixed with the collagen gel called Surgifill to make a paste, which was
smeared into the fractures. They finally fixed his leg in a metal cage to
gently squeeze the bones together. The cage was removed in December, six
months after the Surgifill procedure.

Mr Shetty explains "This is an amazing technique with remarkable results.
I was able to put my whole body weight on his leg and the bones remained
solid."

Surgifill and Cartifill, a gel procedure used to repair knee cartilage,
were developed by orthopaedic surgeon Professor Seok-jung Kim, Director of
RMS (Regenerative Medical System) a South Korean bio-medical company, in
partnership with the UK's Spire Healthcare, where Mr Shetty predominately
operates.

Dr Kim, a recognised pioneer in the biotech field, says "This is a very
exciting advancement in surgery as early results indicate Cartifill may be
extremely beneficial, particularly for knee surgery as Cartifill is extremely
beneficial to patients with cartilage damage to the knee, especially patella
(knee cap)."

Mr Shetty, Senior Lecturer at King's College, London is the only surgeon
worldwide trained to carry out the Surgifill and Cartifill procedures. "I see
huge potential for these techniques and I hope to be able to perform this
operation in India on a regular basis. The gel holds the stem cells against
the bone to form new cartilage. Ten patients have been treated so far in
Britain with an 80% success rate. The technique costs far less than
alternative techniques making it far more accessible for people in India," Mr
Shetty said.

The minimally-invasive cartilage technique is a one stage day case
procedure, with a recovery time of up to six weeks, compared to alternative
treatments which generally need two stage surgery three days in hospital and
minimum twelve to fourteen week recovery.

The Shetty-Kim technique has been hailed as one of the surgical advances
of the decade and already Mr Shetty has received enquiries from around the
world. This technique will be available in Mangalore and Bangalore soon.

Photos available

www.spirehealthcare.com/alexandra/The-Kent-Knee-Unit/Meet-the-team–contact-us/

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www.rmsbio.net

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