Carticel (Autologous Cultured Chondrocytes for Implantation) Drug Information: Description, User Reviews, Drug Side Effects, Interactions

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May 26, 2012

Carticel

Knee Pain »

Knee pain facts

The knee joint has three compartments: medial, lateral, and patellofemoral.
Causes of knee pain include injury, degeneration, arthritis, infrequently infection, and rarely bone tumors.
Ligaments within the knee (cruciate ligaments) and on the inner and outer sides of the knee (collateral ligaments) stabilize the joint.
Surgical repair of ligament injury can involve suturing, grafting, and synthetic graft repair. Some patients require total knee replacement.
Routine X-rays do not reveal meniscus tears but can be used to exclude other problems of the bones and other tissues. Arthroscopy and MRI studies are used most frequently to diagnose knee ailments; occasionally, a needle aspiration of fluid is done.
The knee joint is one of the most commonly involved joints in rheumatic diseases (over 100 disease types). Rheumatic diseases are immune diseases that affect various tissue...

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Carticel

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Carticel®
(autologous cultured chondrocytes) For Autologous Implantation

DRUG DESCRIPTION

Autologous cultured chondrocytes, the Carticel (autologous cultured chondrocytes for implantation) product, are derived from in vitro expansion of chondrocytes harvested from the patient's normal, femoral articular cartilage. Biopsies from a lesser-weight bearing area are the source of chondrocytes, which are isolated, expanded through cell culture, and implanted into articular cartilage defects beneath an autologous periosteal flap. Prior to final packaging, cell viability is assessed to be at least 80%.

Each single use container of autologous cultured chondrocytes has approximately 12 million cells aseptically processed and suspended in 0.4 mL of sterile, buffered Dulbecco's Modified Eagles Medium (DMEM). Both the biopsy transport media and the cell culture media contain gentamicin. Residual quantities of gentamicin up to 5 μg/mL may be present in the Carticel (autologous cultured chondrocytes for implantation) product.

Last reviewed on RxList: 12/22/2010
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.