NOTES - Surgical Procedures :
Experimental Product CarGel - - Posted by PPicard (PPicard), 19 September 2004
Hello,
I am very interested by this product CarGel developped in Laval (near Montreal) Quebec, Canada.
It is designed to avoid the poor quality of the scar cartilage tissue resulting from classic drilling procedures.
This product is supposed to help the drilling procedure to produce native state healthy cartilage.
A doctor in Laval is currently using this product. He got an experimental permit to use this product. He uses it currently instead of total knee replacement.
Here is a web site with an article about this:
http://www.medicalpost.com/mpcontent/article.jsp?content=20031104_111421_784
I would be extremely interested in getting some feedback from the opinion of various's people doctors on this product.
Regards,
Paul
Posted by ATsoccergirl (ATsoccergirl), 22 September 2004
It looks like an extremely promising alternative to TKRs. We'll just have to wait and see for human clinical trials and published research.
Posted by Spirit72 (Spirit72), 22 January 2005
This is the latest news on CarGel:
December 21, 2004
BST-CarGelTM On Track for Marketing approval in 2006
Investigator Training to Begin in Mid-January for Clinical Trial
For BST-CarGelTM, the preparatory phase of the multi-center Canadian-European clinical trial is completed. Early patient recruitment is on-going, and on November 24, BioSyntech met with over 20 potential candidates in Montreal to discuss the product and the trial. These patients were referred by a prominent local orthopaedic surgeon. Critical Site Evaluation Visits are currently being carried out by our Contract Research Organisation (CRO), and trial documentation is being compiled. Furthermore, an Investigators Meeting, the 2-day forum for investigator training and final discussion before official patient enrolment, is planned for mid-January. BioSyntech confirms that the current schedule is still on target for Canadian and European marketing of BST-CarGelTM in 2006, assuming required approvals.
As previously announced, BioSyntech hopes to maximize the use of the data from the current study, particularly as supporting evidence in FDA submissions for the US market. On-going discussions with a major global orthobiologic company have recently produced several new regulatory approaches in this regard. These new strategies align well with our current path, and will be implemented into the present Canadian-European trial.
August 30, 2004
BST-CarGel remains in high demand from the public who see its medical value. And Biosyntech has continued, on a very limited basis, to treat patients who are in need and without alternatives, through Health Canada’s Special Access Programme. To date, 12 patients have received BST-CarGel treatment for damaged cartilage in the knee, the last patient receiving treatment just six weeks ago. Biosyntech is pleased to comment that early results for all new patients are positive.
Posted by shadehawk (shadehawk), 22 January 2005
This is a very interesting product. Hopefully everything will go well with this testing and others will reap the benefits also.
Posted by PPicard (PPicard), 22 January 2005
What can I do to register to be a participant in this research? I had seen Doctor Duval in Laval Quebec. He was already administering privately Car-Gel before the implementation of a formal research program.
He had examined me and had declared me to be an ideal candidate for this product.
Only the closure of his hospital for one month came in the way of a first operation on my right knee. I am still extremely interested and I would like to know how I could at least make sure that I could make my interest known to the proper people to be considered for this research.
I have been excited about the prospects of this product and I am ready to take the calculated risk of going through this research project.
Paul
Posted by shadehawk (shadehawk), 22 January 2005
The website is: http://www.biosyntech.com/
Maybe you can find something on there.
Posted by Spirit72 (Spirit72), 22 January 2005
You should try to contact Biosyntech directly:
BioSyntech Inc.
475 Armand-Frappier Blvd.
Laval, Québec H7V 4B3
Canada
Toll-Free (U.S. & Canada only): 1-866-262-5903
Tel: (450) 686-2437
Fax: (450) 686-8952
General Inquiries: info@biosyntech.com
Product Information: products@biosyntech.com
BST-CarGel Information: cargel@biosyntech.com
You could also try to contact Dr Pierre Ranger, Chirurgien orthopédiste at Hôpital du Sacré-C½ur de Montréal.
5400, boul. Gouin Ouest
Montréal, Québec
(Canada)
H4J-1C5
(514)-338-2222
Bonne chance!
Posted by Spirit72 (Spirit72), 22 January 2005
For those of you who would like to know more about Cargel.
From SEDAR Prospectus ordinaire provisoire - anglais January 15, 2004
Posted by shadehawk (shadehawk), 23 January 2005
Thanks, I did find the contact info on the site, but not the info on Dr. P. Ranger.
The information you have provided is awesome! This is going to make a drastic difference in people's lives.
Great work Spirit !! 
Posted by PPicard (PPicard), 23 January 2005
Thanks for making sure that everyone can see this interesting info. I had contacted a contact person at Car Gel on a regular basis to remind that person that I was still interested. Yesterday I did send another message to one of the addresses mentioned above. It's been great to get some moral support because my situation is beginning to take its toll. I was semi-retired and I even took up a full time job to use the pentup energy that I could not funnell through my regular outlets. But even this interesting job can have a placebo effect only for so long.
When I had contacted Doctor Duval, he had done three operations already. One on Serge Savard. I had asked him if he could put me in contact with someone who had received the treatment. Unfortunately this never happened. At times I am wondering if I was really medically a good candidate or if what made me a good candidate was the fact that I was ready to pay him 7500 cnd for the treatment?
I keep telling my relatives that I feel that I have been in an invisible wheelchair for at least 15 years. No tennis, badminton, skiing or hiking in mountains which were my favourite activities.
The only tennis that I can do is teaching it. The only skiing is when I can't hear my skis in the snow: preferably in a few feet of fresh powder.
Since I have a tendency to cut out all my activities except cycling, I don't live in constant intense pain. I can walk on flat surfaces and uphill. I can also cycle as much as I want.
I just dream of the day where I could let go of my invisible wheelchair and run a few steps on a tennis court or walk down a set of stairs without first looking to see if there is another way to go down.
Posted by shadehawk (shadehawk), 23 January 2005
Hey PPicard, I hear you. When you have knee problems it is very hard for someone else to understand just what you go through. You are doing the right thing to try and find a method to relieve your pain so you can get back on track with the things that you love to do.
I feel the same way, you can only give up sooo many things before you have yourself with an 'invisible wheelchair' . It is a tough space to be in, but you can not let yourself get down, you must plough forward.
One thing that has helped me through all this knee pain thing is the wonderful support of my family, but some days it is still rough, this site has been a godsend.
Good luck to you with whatever you decide to do and I hope you find the right OS who can help you.
Updated Sat Nov 21 2009
