CARTICEL: Training and Events

CARTICEL^® Training and Events

Genzyme Biosurgery has designed two educational program options to meet the needs of orthopaedic surgeons interested in CARTICEL. These programs were created to meet two distinct levels of prospective attending surgeons’ experience with ACI and CARTICEL: introductory and advanced.

For those surgeons with candidates for implantation and no implantation experience we offer the Introductory Workshop Program, which provides the basics in clinically appropriate patient selection and surgical technique.

For surgeons with considerable CARTICEL experience who are looking to increase their level of knowledge and skills, we offer the Advanced Concepts Program. Advanced Concepts offers participants an intimate and highly interactive session with unique perspectives from the most experienced CARTICEL surgeons who work with challenging cases.

At this time, we regret that we can offer training only to U.S.-based physicians.

CARTICEL is for autologous use and is indicated for the repair of symptomatic, cartilage defects of the femoral condyle (medial, lateral or trochlea), caused by acute or repetitive trauma, in patients who have had an inadequate response to a prior arthroscopic or other surgical repair procedure (e.g., debridement, microfracture, drilling/abrasion arthroplasty, or osteochondral allograft/autograft). CARTICEL should only be used in conjunction with debridement, placement of a periosteal flap and rehabilitation. The independent contributions of the autologous cultured chondrocytes and other components of the therapy to outcome are unknown. It is not indicated for the treatment of cartilage damage associated with generalized osteoarthritis. It is not recommended for patients whose knee meniscus has been surgically removed unless the patient has undergone surgical reconstruction prior to or concurrent with CARTICEL implantation.

Pre-existing conditions including meniscal tears, joint instability or malalignment of the joint should be corrected prior to or concurrent with CARTICEL implantation. It should not be used in patients with a known history of hypersensitivity to gentamicin, other aminoglycosides or materials of bovine origin. CARTICEL is not routinely tested for transmissible infectious diseases and may transmit disease to the healthcare provider handling CARTICEL. In addition, it should not be used in patients who have previously had cancer in the bones, cartilage, fat or muscle of the treated limb. Use in children, patients over age 65, or in joints other than the knee has not yet been assessed.

The occurrence of subsequent surgical procedures (SSPs), primarily arthroscopy, following CARTICEL implantation is common. In the Study of the Treatment of Articular Repair (STAR), forty-nine percent (49%) of patients underwent an SSP on the treated knee, irrespective of their relationship to CARTICEL, during the 4-year follow up. The most common serious adverse events (³ 5% of patients), derived from STAR, include arthrofibrosis/joint adhesions, graft overgrowth, chondromalacia or chondrosis, cartilage injury, graft complication, meniscal lesion, graft delamination, and osteoarthritis.

For more information on CARTICEL, please see the Package Insert (PDF).

CARTICEL® Training and Events

CARTICEL^® Training and Events