Cartilage-Repairing Substances : Hydrogel

Hydrogel Could Be the Future of Cartilage Damage Repair

A couple of research teams from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne worked together to create a new hydrogel material that can help better heal damaged cartilages. Unlike other soft tissue damage, cartilage doesn’t heal itself and often requires medical intervention. This is where this hydrogel material comes in, as it can be easily loaded with other drugs or repairing cells.

The use of hydrogel would drastically improve healing these injuries simply because of its ability to adhere to tissue in an effective way. According to Dominique Pioletti, one of the team leaders, this adhering quality comes thanks to hydrogel’s “double network structure” that “distributes incoming mechanical energy throughout.” Essentially, this unique material serves as a perfect vehicle to hold onto cartilage-repairing drugs, while also being able to easily cling to damaged areas.