Adipose-derived autologous stem cell therapy may be used to successfully repair a meniscus injury, according to a study in the Journal of Medical Cases.
Here are four things to know:
1. Study authors repaired a meniscal tear using stromal vascular fraction and platelet-rich plasma.
2. SVF is a mixture of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells, pericytes, fibroblasts, progenitor and other cells. It is separated from adipocytes using enzyme digestion and centrifugation.
3. The researchers used approximately 4 milliliters of PRP to resuspend the adipocytes for an intra-articular injection. The patient received five additional 2.5 milliliter PRP injections at three to four week intervals.
4. The patient demonstrated pain reduction with repair visible on the arthroscopic evaluation after nine months. The study authors suggest intra-articular injection of SVF and PRP could be a feasible treatment for chronic meniscus injury.
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