Stem cells to regenerate damaged knee cartilage offer patients hope
Using stem cells derived from the bone marrow to regenerate damaged cartilage in the knees presents new hope to younger active patients who suffer from cartilage degeneration.
The use of stem cells has shown an 80 percent success rate in two years, and a 72 percent continued success rate over ten years. This treatment involves harvesting a patient's stem cells from the lower back region, followed by culturing these cells in the lab. The cultured cells are then injected back into the damaged knee cartilage, where they develop into new cartilage tissue. The regenerated cartilage is structurally similar to the original cartilage. Still, it remains to be seen if they have the same functionality and are as durable in the long run.
Currently, damaged cartilage can be treated through a technique called microfracture. Tiny holes are drilled in a joint's surface, signaling the body to create new tissue in the joint. However, the new tissue is not much like cartilage. It has been reported that this new tissue, otherwise known as fibrocartilage, is more like scar tissue than natural cartilage. It covers the bone and helps to offer some protection. Still, it lacks the elasticity of natural cartilage and tends to degrade relatively quickly. Another technique, which is still being researched and experimented on, is autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI). ACI is a process where cartilage cells (chondrocytes) are collected before being multiplied in a lab and then re-implanted into the knee's damaged area.
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