Osteoarthritis treatment and device

Abstract

A method for treating arthritis of a joint includes identifying a bone lesion in a bone adjacent to the joint; and implanting in the bone a reinforcing member in or adjacent to the bone lesion. A kit for conducting the method includes: (a) at least one reinforcing member having a proximal face adapted to face the joint, a distal face adapted to face away from the joint, and a wedge-shaped edge adapted to pierce bone, wherein the at least one reinforcing member is planar and sterile; and (b) a container adapted to maintain the at least one reinforcing member sterile. Another kit includes: (a) a sterile fluid; (b) a syringe for injecting the fluid into a bone; (c) a curing agent adapted to cure the fluid to polymerize and/or cross-link; and (d) a container adapted to maintain the sterility of contents of the container.

1 . A kit for treating arthritis of a joint, said kit comprising:
 at least one reinforcing member comprising a proximal face adapted to face the joint, a distal face adapted to face away from the joint, and a wedge-shaped edge adapted to pierce bone, wherein the at least one reinforcing member is planar and sterile; and   a container adapted to maintain the at least one reinforcing member sterile.   
     
     
         2 . The kit of  claim 1 , further comprising instructions for implanting the at least one reinforcing member in or adjacent to a bone lesion associated with arthritis of the joint. 
     
     
         3 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal face and the distal face are rectangular, circular or triangular. 
     
     
         4 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing member comprises a metal. 
     
     
         5 . The kit of  claim 4 , wherein the metal is tantalum metal. 
     
     
         6 . The kit of  claim 4 , wherein the reinforcing member further comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of an osteinductive agent, an osteoconductive agent and an ostegenic agent. 
     
     
         7 . The kit of  claim 1 , further comprising fiducial markers. 
     
     
         8 . The kit of  claim 1 , further comprising a bone filler. 
     
     
         9 . A kit for treating arthritis of a joint, said kit comprising:
 a sterile fluid;   a syringe for injecting the fluid into a bone;   a curing agent adapted to cure the fluid to polymerize and/or cross-link; and   a container adapted to maintain a sterility of contents of the container.   
     
     
         10 . The kit of  claim 9 , further comprising instructions for implanting the at least one reinforcing member in or adjacent to a bone lesion associated with arthritis of the joint. 
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 9 , further comprising fiducial markers. 
     
     
         12 . The kit of  claim 9 , further comprising a UV light source. 
     
     
         13 . The kit of  claim 9 , wherein the syringe has more than one barrel and the fluid and the curing agent are loaded in separate barrels of the syringe.