DSM's Continuum of Care in Knees

Knee disease and discomfort affects millions of people around the world and is set to increase as people live longer and put more strain on their bodies. DSM brings together a unique portfolio of bright science: Life Sciences and Materials Sciences solutions to help nurture, maintain, repair and replace knees.

Nurturing knees

Prevention is better than cure. As the world’s largest producer of vitamins, DSM offers high-quality, innovative and safe nutrients, as well as specialty food ingredients that play a key role in boosting bone and joint health, nurturing knees and preparing them for the rigors of life.

Maintaining knees

Carrying excess weight can put stress on the knee joints - which can lead to serious conditions and even total knee failure. Excessive or the wrong kind of exercise can also put knees under extreme strain. DSM helps to maintain knees throughout life, by producing supplements that help manage weight.

Repairing knees

Following injuries or accidents, the materials needed to repair and secure knee joints must be super-strong, flexible and capable of interacting with the human body over a long time. Dyneema Purity® is a super-strong Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber designed for use in the human body. As the world’s strongest fiber, some 15 times stronger than steel on a weight-for-weight basis, Dyneema Purity® is increasingly being used to give medical devices exceptional strength, durability, longevity, biocompatibility and the potential to improve clinical performance.

Replacing knees

As we live longer, more than 40% of those aged over 70 suffer from osteoarthritis. This and other conditions like osteoporosis or the accumulation of injuries from earlier in life, can lead to total knee failure. Biomedical implants are a viable option. A key ingredient in some of these implants is DSM’s Bionate® Polycarbonate Urethane (PCU) medical grade polymer, which offers a unique combination of toughness, biocompatibility and biostability, aiding shorter hospitalization periods and faster recovery times. DSM is also developing new technologies based on our materials science to help manufacturers produce more efficient devices.

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