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Evaluation of the Patellar LIFT System for Subjects With Patellofemoral Cartilage Degeneration

Key facts

Who runs it
ZKR Orthopedics Inc
Where
Columbus, La Mesa, New York, and Portland, United StatesSee the 5 sites
Trial code
Status
Recruiting
People taking part
245 people, planned
Started
19 Jun 2024
Expected to end
Sept 2031
Type of study
Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets an existing treatment, for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • LIFT Implant
  • Tibial Tubercle Osteotomy
Record updated
11 December 2025

Who can take part

Age
22 years to 65 years
Sex
Women and men
Healthy volunteers
Cannot take part

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 25 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • Patients age 22 to 65 years at time of screening
  • Anterior knee pain due to patellofemoral cartilage degeneration (PCD) with an Modified Outerbridge score of ≥3 as assessed by an MRI on the study knee
  • Body Mass Index (BMI) of ≤ 35
  • Weight < 300 lbs
  • Anterior Knee Pain Score (AKPS) of ≤ 70 (0-100 scale)
  • Visual Analog Score (VAS) of ≥ 40 (0-100 scale)
  • Failure of at least 6 months of non-surgical treatment defined as at least one of the treatments (e.g. rest, bracing, physical therapy, targeted exercise, use of NSAIDs, activity level reduction or Confidential ZKR Orthopedics, CIP 0001 Page 11 of 55 Protocol Version: 1.0, 04JAN2024 modification, etc.) per AAOS Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee; Evidence based guideline 3rd Edition 2021

Who cannot take part

  • Patients requiring simultaneous cartilage grafting procedure, cartilage transplantation, or bone marrow stimulation
  • Previous repair of a torn patellar tendon
  • Prior TTO procedure or knee joint replacement (total or partial) of the study knee
  • Joint modifying surgery (e.g., ligament reconstruction, meniscus repair, cartilage transplantation, microfracture, etc.) in the study knee within 6 months prior to planned index procedure date
  • Arthroscopic surgeries in the study knee for joint lavage, meniscectomy, chondral debridement, and loose body removal within 3 months prior to planned index procedure
  • History of patella dislocation or instability
  • Active infection, sepsis, osteomyelitis or history of septic arthritis in any joint
  • Rheumatoid arthritis, other forms of inflammatory joint disease or autoimmune disorder
  • History of avascular necrosis of any bone
  • History of symptomatic patellar tendonitis of intrasubstance tear
  • Insufficiency of the cruciate, collateral ligaments, or tendon which would preclude stability of the LIFT System
  • PCD with an Modified Outerbridge Score of 2 or less at the study knee
  • Clinical symptoms of the contralateral knee that preclude activities of daily living, stair climbing, stair descending, or require the use of an assist device
  • Patella alta or patella baja
  • Known TT-TG distance >20mm
  • Pathologic ligamentous injury (Lachman > 1) or meniscus tearing
  • Clinical symptoms of the femoral-tibial joint of the study knee that preclude activities of daily living, stair climbing, stair descending, or requires the use of an assist device
  • Evidence (MRI, arthroscopy, etc.) of Modified Outerbridge Grade 4 degenerative arthritis in the femoral-tibial joint of the study knee that potentially explains patient symptoms

Check if you might fit

Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.

  • Are you between 22 and 65 years old?

Where in United States

  • Ohio State University - Jameson Crane Sports Medicine InstituteColumbus, United StatesContact: Jenna DeFrancoTaking people
  • Horizon Clinical ResearchLa Mesa, United StatesContact: Dino SubasicTaking people
  • Hospital for Special SurgeryNew York, United StatesContact: Hannah TerryTaking people
  • NYU Langone HealthNew York, United StatesContact: Ivanka BhambhaniTaking people
  • Oregon Health and Science UniversityPortland, United StatesContact: Jessica BallinTaking people

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

The PELICAN study is a prospective, non randomized, dual arm, multi-center clinical study comparing clinical outcomes of subjects treated with the LIFT Implant System to subjects treated with Tibial Tubercle Osteotomy (TTO).

The 2 groups in the trial

  • Treatment Group: LIFTTreatment being tested

    Subjects receiving the LIFT implant system.

    Treatment: LIFT Implant

  • Control Group: TTOExisting treatment, for comparison

    Subjects receiving a Tibial Tubercle Osteotomy (TTO)

    Treatment: Tibial Tubercle Osteotomy

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

Print a page for my doctor

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Fit questions
Built from NCT06423300, who can take part
Record updated
11 December 2025