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Scientists believe they could use patients' own stem cells to help mend damaged bones and cartilage.

They say the treatment could have a major impact on conditions such as osteoarthritis and could treat trauma victims whose bones have been shattered beyond repair.

The treatment puts patients' stem cells - cells that can develop into almost any body cell - into a 'bioactive scaffold' that protects them and stimulates their growth into bone or cartilage.

This scaffold consists of a fairly rigid mesh structure that is coated with a drug that affects patients' cells.

The collaborative team behind the study aim to further the research and hope to set up a clinical trial within two years.

Dr Brendon Noble, of the University of Edinburgh's Medical Research Council Centre for Regenerative Medicine, said: 'This is a novel approach in terms of treating damaged bones and cartilage.

'The aim is to translate the knowledge we have gained from bone biology studies into tangible treatments for patients.'

Dr Anna Krassowska, research manager for the UK Stem Cell Foundation, commented: 'In the UK hip fractures kill 14,000 elderly people every year - more than many cancers.

'The worldwide market for orthopaedic devices alone represents some $17 billion [£8.71 billion]. This research has the potential not only to impact on a significant number of people's lives but to open up one of the largest stem cell markets in the industry.'

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