Introduction of Innovative Tissue Engineering Technologies into Medical Practice to Restore Damaged Joints

Abstract

We analyzed the results of surgical treatment of 10 patients with II and III degree osteoarthritis of the knee joint, men = 3, women = 7. The average age was 49.3 years (±28). An arthroscopic revision of the knee joint was performed to determine the location, size and depth of cartilage defects. The synovial membrane was taken (30-50 mg), autologous mesenchymal stem cells were isolated and cultured. Next, arthroscopy of the knee joint was performed, where a heparin-conjugated fibrin hydrogel was implanted into the defect area, containing mesenchymal stem cells of the synovial membrane and growth factors transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) and bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP-4).None of the patients, heparin-conjugated fibrin hydrogel with mesenchymal stem cells and growth factors caused serious undesirable complications after implantation into articular cartilage defects, which may indicate the safety of the hydrogel.Key words: mesenchymal stem cells, synovia, osteoarthrosis, cell therapy, heparin-conjuged fibrin hydrogel.