“BASK-ing in the glory "of successful seminar at leading orthopaedic conference with patient outcomes at heart, Ex-Olympic swimmer, sports presenter and ‘patient voice,’ Sharron Davies joins an inspiring panel of speakers at the recent conference

London, UK: May 2023: A panel of leading experts led an engaging and informative ‘breakout symposium’ at the 2023 British Association for Surgery of the Knee (BASK) annual conference last week (May 16-17), addressing a room of more than 100 delegates about the benefits of a single injection of 6 ml 2.5% polyacrylamide hydrogel (“2.5 iPAAG”), Arthrosamid® to treat patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Hosted by polyacrylamide hydrogel technology specialists Contura Orthopaedics Ltd, the session entitled “2.5 iPAAG: New Perspectives on Injectables for Knee Osteoarthritis” was chaired by leading orthopaedic surgeon, James Murray (currently based at The Avon Orthopaedic Centre in Southmead Hospital, North Bristol NHS Trust) and also welcomed Danish Rheumatologist and acclaimed researcher, Professor Henning Bliddal; Contura’s Chief Scientific Officer, Dr Ieva Ankorina Stark and London-based Orthopaedic Surgeon, Mark Webb (St. George’s University Hospital).

Mark Webb comments;

“There is a lot of interest in Arthrosamid from around the country and this was clear by the popularity of the lunchtime meeting at BASK. I was honoured to be able to share my experience of using Arthrosamid in treating knee osteoarthritis and the promising results that I have seen”.

Among the panellists included ex-Olympic swimmer and world-renowned broadcaster Sharron Davies MBE. During the session, Sharron shared details of her journey of overcoming the pain and discomfort she experienced caused by knee osteoarthritis and how her orthopaedic consultant, Professor Paul Lee, from MSK Doctors, mentioned she could be eligible for a pioneering and non-invasive treatment for knee osteoarthritis, which could offer long-lasting pain relief and could delay the need for surgery. Since having the injection in September 2022, Sharron’s recovery has been swift and positive; she has since become an Ambassador for Arthrosamid®.

Sharron Davies MBE adds,

“I’ve had more than 40 years of training, and competed in the world’s biggest competition, and so I know what’s required to help maintain a healthy body and mind. Throughout my life I’ve continued to fuel my passion for health and fitness – with a varied programme including weight training, strength and conditioning, cycling, horse riding and dog walking. A few years back I suffered a serious accident. Recovery was slow and despite returning to full fitness, I continued to have problems with stiffness and pain in my right knee. Being offered this injection has been great, as much for my mental wellbeing as physically - as sport and fitness is such an important part of my life. I couldn’t believe how quick the procedure was, with very little discomfort and limited downtime. I was able to drive immediately. Pain can be really draining emotionally. Now, thanks to Arthrosamid®, I feel more able to do the things I love with less pain. I’m very glad I gave it a try.”

In fact, Sharron’s orthopaedic consultant, Professor Paul Lee, of MSK Doctors – who was the first surgeon in the UK to use Arthosamid® - also joined the debate remotely and talked the audience through Sharron’s treatment pathway, using short excerpts from a recently commissioned patient education film.

Speaking after the lively and informative session – which saw numerous questions fielded from a wide range of delegates and orthopaedic professionals - CEO of Contura International Ltd, Rakesh Tailor, comments; “It was such a privilege to be a part of this exciting breakout session at BASK 2023 and to host a ‘standing room only’ event which was a testament to the current levels of interest and enthusiasm around Arthrosamid®.

“The volume of challenging and inspiring questions posed to our expert panel also highlighted the current unmet need for innovative and new, non-invasive treatment options for knee osteoarthritis, in both the UK and internationally, to provide an evidence-based alternative to knee replacement surgery. The ensuing discussion was so encouraging for me and my team, who are all committed to the wider roll-out of Arthrosamid® and the ongoing investment into research and the publication of long-term data to further support the efficacy and safety profile of the hydrogel.

Rakesh adds; “Patient experience and positive patient outcome are always our priority and at the heart of everything we do and therefore it was an absolute honor to welcome our Ambassador, Sharron Davies to the podium, who spoke so eloquently and with great knowledge and passion about her own treatment pathway.

“Sharron is of course an ex-Olympian and one of ITV’s former Gladiators - where, as she explained to our BASK audience, she sustained one of several serious knee injuries over the course of her career – but equally, we regularly receive positive testimonials from a range of patients who’ve been able to resume their hobbies and pastimes from golf, hockey and hiking through to skiing and ballroom dancing, thanks to Arthrosamid®. These stories are so wonderful to hear and constantly remind us why we do what we do.”

Consisting of 2.5% cross-linked polyacrylamide and 97.5% non-pyrogenic water, a single 6ml dose of Arthrosamid® is injected into the joint space, becoming embedded in the synovial membrane¹ and can relieve pain in one single treatment². Patients can expect to see improved mobility and pain relief within a few weeks². Interestingly, the development of Arthrosamid® followed impressive clinical data with Arthramid® Vet, a related product of the company, in the treatment of lameness in horses.

As part of Contura’s attendance at the 2-day conference, the team also met many delegates who visited the Arthrosamid® exhibitor’s stand throughout the event, where they were delighted to answer further questions about the product (including costs, availability and positive patient outcomes) as well as signposting those interested to published research, reinforcing the efficacy of Arthrosamid® and exciting long-term data.

New data (first released at the Annual Congress of OA Research International, OARSI, in March 2023) highlights impressive 3-year results, showing that a single injection of 6 ml 2.5% polyacrylamide hydrogel, Arthrosamid®, continued to be “well-tolerated and demonstrated clinically relevant and statistically significant effectiveness in reducing pain, at 3 years after treatment”³

In all trials to date, Arthrosamid® has been shown to have no serious adverse events with any device related events mild and transient in nature⁴. And a growing number of anecdotal cases in Demark report many patients, 5-8 years out from treatment are still pain free.

References:

^{1. Christensen, L., et al. (2016). “Synovial incorporation of polyacrylamide hydrogel after injection into normal and osteoarthritic animal joints.” Osteoarthritis and cartilage vol.24, 11:1999-2002. DOI:10.1016/j.joca.2016.07.007.}

^{2. Bliddal, H., et al. (2021). Polyacrylamide Hydrogel Injection for Knee Osteoarthritis: A 6 Months Prospective Study. J Orthop Res Ther. 6(2). 1188. ISSN 2575-8241.}

^{3. Henriksen, M. et al. (2023). 3-year results from a prospective study of polyacrylamide hydrogel for knee osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, Vol 31(5): P682–683. DOI:10.1016/j.joca.2023.02.023}

^{4. Overgaard, A., et al. (2019). Safety of intra-articular polyacrylamide hydrogel for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis symptoms: A retrospective case series. Clin Ortho Adv Res. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Vol.30, Supplement 1, S370-S371. DOI:10.1016/j.joca.2022.02.497.}

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