Thermomechanical Effect of Infrared Laser for Cartilage Regeneration
Hosted By: Therapeutic Laser Applications Technical Group
21 January 2020 11:00 - 12:00
Cartilage is avascular tissue with low metabolism and, as a consequence, with low potential for restoration. Osteoarthritis affects more than 30% of the adult population of the planet and bioengineered implants are commonly used to address the late stages of the disease. However, there are common problems with implants, including poor cell survival and differentiation, inadequate integration into the host tissue, de-differentiation of the normal cartilage and formation of fibrous tissue with unsatisfactory mechanical characteristics. Methods of addressing cartilage degeneration in earlier stages are needed.
In this webinar, Dr. Yulia Alexandrovskaya will discuss her work on thermomechanical infrared laser regeneration of cartilage. The presentation will show it is possible to restore initial hyaline type of cartilaginous tissue, even for large defects of intervertebral discs and joints. The technology of low-invasive reconstruction of spine discs has been applied successfully to over 5,000 patients in Russia and clinical trials are being planned in the United States. The pilot results of hyaline-type cartilage regeneration were obtained also in the joints on in vivo animal model and in clinical trials for knee joints of patients.
The cellular mechanisms of laser-induced regeneration of hyaline cartilage however are not well understood. Dr. Alexandrovskaya's research focuses on elucidating these mechanisms. The webinar will review the complexity of physico-chemical response of the tissue to laser stimulation effect, including laser-induced transitions of bounded water, reorganization of proteoglycan macromolecules and formation of non-uniform thermal and mechanical stress fields. Several ongoing investigations using near infrared laser for restoration of interverbal disc in spinal surgery and joint cartilage in orthopaedics will be highlighted. Deeper understanding of IR laser stimulation mechanisms found empirically on living tissues will allow developing the technology of forwarded cartilage regeneration and producing of implants with controlled and stable phenotype of chondrocytes. Ultimately, the general regulating mechanisms established for chondrocytes may be transferred to stem cells towards their modification into different types of cells for regenerative medicine.
What You Will Learn:
- Principles of NIR laser interaction with matrix and cells of cartilage tissue
- How to distinguish between photo-induced and thermomechanical approaches for stimulation of intrinsic recoverability of the tissue
- Novel applications of near infrared laser for tissue regeneration, including restoration of interverbal disc in spinal surgery and joint cartilage in orthopaedics
Who Should Attend:
- Students, scientists, doctors interested in laser-assisted tissue regeneration or looking to learn about this exciting application of NIR lasers
About the Presenter: Yulia M. Alexandrovskaya, Russian Academy of Sciences
Dr. Yulia Alexandrovskaya is a Senior Researcher in the Institute of Photon Technologies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. She studies the laser interaction with biological tissues to find new methods of diagnostics and therapy. Her research experience includes the development of NIR laser-induced modification of costal cartilage implants, from formulation and first ex vivo experiments to successful application in clinics for the treatment of trachea stenosis. Dr. Alexandrovskaya is the recipient of several prestigious Awards for Young Scientists from the Institute of Laser and Information Technologies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
