Adipose Derived Stromal Cell (ADSC) Injections for Pain Management of Osteoarthritis in the Human Knee Joint
Background
This safety and feasibility study used autologous adipose-derived stromal vascular cells (the stromal vascular fraction [SVF] of adipose tissue), to treat 8 osteoarthritic knees in 6 patients of grade I to III (K-L scale) with initial pain of 4 or greater on a 10-point Visual Analog Scale (VAS).
Objectives
The primary objective of the study was evaluation of the safety of intra-articular injection of SVF. The secondary objective was to assess initial feasibility for reduction of pain in osteoarthritic knees.
Methods
Adipose-derived SVF cells were obtained through enzymatic disaggregation of lipoaspirate, resuspension in 3 mL of Lactated Ringer's Solution, and injection directly into the intra-articular space of the knee, with a mean of 14.1 million viable, nucleated SVF cells per knee. Metrics included monitoring of adverse events and preoperative to postoperative changes in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC), the VAS pain scale, range of motion (ROM), timed up-and-go (TUG), and MRI.
Results
No infections, acute pain flares, or other adverse events were reported. At 3-months postoperative, there was a statistically significant improvement in WOMAC and VAS scores ( P < .02 and P < .001, respectively), which was maintained at 1 year. Physical therapy measurements for ROM and TUG both improved from preoperative to 3-months postoperative. Standard MRI assessment from preoperative to 3-months postoperative showed no detectable structural differences. All patients attained full activity with decreased knee pain.
Conclusions
Autologous SVF was shown to be safe and to present a new potential therapy for reduction of pain for osteoarthritis of the knee.
Related Projects
- Published on Apr 27, 2021Breast implant illness (BII) is a term used to describe physical and psychological symptoms experienced by some women following breast implant surgery. Few studies have examined the experiences of women with BII—a poorly understood condition with no...
- Published on Apr 19, 2020In 2017, the ASERF Gluteal Fat Grafting Task Force reported gluteal fat grafting to be a high-risk procedure and recommended specific surgical techniques to decrease the risk of pulmonary fat embolism (PFE).
- Published on Oct 1, 2019Deaths in gluteal autografting occur due to gluteal vein injuries, but data are lacking on the precise location and caliber of these veins.