One of the hottest topics at the 2007 AAOS was the the trend toward resurfacing rather than completely replacing joints damaged by arthritis and other causes. There are a variety of metallic, synthetic and biologic methods used in hip, knee, shoulder and extremity joint resurfacing, many designed for younger patients who wish to remain active and avoid total joint replacement.

Tissue engineering is one of the most promising technology opportunities in orthopedics. But for the companies that have pursued it, the biological process has become something of a waiting game.

Despite the important role that French, German, and other European physicians play in developing and trialing new technology, and the equally important role that EU regulators play in offering a quick path to commercialization, the number of native European medical device companies is surprisingly small. There are hints that the bleak devicie picture might be brightening, however.

Ars Arthro's technology, called CaReS, is a cartilage regeneration system that uses harvested cartilage cells which are isolated, then immediately imbedded in a collagen matrix, and then incubated to create a replacement product that can be shaped or molded by surgeons for a precise fit to fix cartilage defects.