Concentrated Bone Marrow Research Articles

Intramedullary Nailing with a Suprapatellar Approach and Condylar Bolts for the Treatment of Bicondylar Fractures of the Tibial Plateau.

Background:Bicondylar tibial plateau fractures have been treated with either plating or external fixation techniques, with conflicting results. A recently introduced technique involving the combined use of intramedullary nailing via a suprapatellar approach and condylar bolts could represent a new pathway toward better treatment of this severe injury.Methods:The present report describes a retrospective and prospective study of all 17 patients (age range, 25 to 75 years) who were admitted under the author’s care for the treatment of a closed, bicondylar tibial plateau fracture between 2013 and 2015. All patients consented to undergo fixation of the fracture with intramedullary nailing through a suprapatellar approach and with use of condylar bolts. The reconstructed articular surface was supported with freeze-dried allograft that had been previously soaked in concentrated bone marrow. The patients were followed at regular intervals, and the results were assessed with the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS).Results:All patients were followed for at least 1 year (average and standard deviation, 25.23 ± 8.95 months; range, 12 to 46 months). All fractures united clinically and radiographically between 10 and 22 weeks (average, 15.1 ± 2.91 weeks), with no instances of neurovascular complication, infection, or implant failure. One patient underwent early revision of the fixation because of unsatisfactory reduction of the articular surface, and 1 patient had secondary fracture displacement. One condylar bolt was removed after fracture healing because of irritation at the insertion site. However, all patients regained knee motion without physiotherapy and all were fully weight-bearing by the fifth postoperative month.Conclusions:The short and intermediate-term results associated with the use of the proposed technique appear to be satisfactory. However, the effectiveness of the technique should be reassessed with long-term studies as well as comparative studies involving other fixation techniques.Level of Evidence:Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Rationale and design of the MarrowStim PAD Kit for the Treatment of Critical Limb Ischemia in Subjects with Severe Peripheral Arterial Disease (MOBILE) trial investigating autologous bone marrow cell therapy for critical limb ischemia

ObjectiveCritical limb ischemia (CLI) continues to place a significant encumbrance on patients and the health care system as it progresses to limb loss and long-term disability. Traditional methods of revascularization offer a significant benefit; however, for one-third of CLI patients, these surgical options are not technically possible or patency is severely limited by disease burden (deemed “poor-option” for revascularization). In a previous phase I trial, we demonstrated intramuscular injection of concentrated bone marrow aspirate (cBMA) via MarrowStim (Zimmer Biomet, Warsaw, Ind) harvest is safe and may decrease major amputation in patients with CLI unfit for surgical revascularization. Therefore, we describe and rationalize the MarrowStim PAD Kit for the Treatment of Critical Limb Ischemia in Subjects with Severe Peripheral Arterial Disease (MOBILE) trial, a study geared to provide the pivotal proof of efficacy of cBMA in CLI. MethodsMOBILE is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial designed to assess the efficacy of intramuscular injections of cBMA in promoting amputation-free survival in patients with poor-option CLI. Patients (aged >21 years) with rest pain or tissue loss resulting from advanced peripheral arterial disease, as characterized by ankle-brachial index (<0.6), toe-brachial index (<0.4), or transcutaneous pressure of oxygen (<50 mm Hg), were eligible for inclusion if surgical revascularization was not possible secondary to advanced disease. ResultsTreatment and 1-year follow-up of 152 patients enrolled in MOBILE are completed. Long-term follow-up is ongoing. Currently, we are in the process of unblinding the initial results for preliminary data analysis. ConclusionsIf successful, MOBILE could add definitive, high-quality evidence in support of cBMA for the treatment of poor-option CLI patients and provide an additional modality for patients who face amputation secondary to advanced limb ischemia.

Repairing alveolar cleft defect using autologous concentrated bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells: a preliminary study

Repairing alveolar cleft defect using autologous concentrated bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells: a preliminary study

Treating a Recalcitrant Non-union of the Radius Using Autogenous Bone, Equine Bone Paste, Equine Demineralized Bone Matrix, Platelet Rich Plasma, and Bone Marrow Aspirate. A Case Report.

Introduction:Non-unions at forearms are usually challenging and difficult to treat. If additionally, an infection is present, reconstructive surgery should be planned only after full debridement, antibiotic treatment, and confirmation, based on clinical observation and laboratory tests that the infection has subsided. Bone grafting may be required for reconstruction. The use of autogenous bone calls for a second surgical site with an increased risk of morbidity. Using bone substitutes may reduce the need for autogenous bone. Stimulating factors, such as bone marrow concentrate (BMC) and demineralized bone matrix (DBM), may be used concomitantly with bone substitutes to facilitate bone regeneration.Case Report:The present report describes the case of a 38-year-old patient whose radius was fractured in a car accident. A first surgery involved stabilizing the reduced fracture with a plate, but an infection developed, and the bone did not heal. 3 months later, a second surgery followed, involving placing an antibiotic-filled spacer. This did not cure the infection, so the spacer was replaced 3 months later, and a second antibiotic was added. The patient also began taking oral antibiotics. 6 months later, the patient underwent vascularized fibular grafting. However, the graft did not integrate, and a non-union developed. A year later, the non-union was treated by grafting autogenous bone from the iliac crest, equine bone substitute, and equine DBM, in conjunction with autologous BMC and platelet-rich plasma. At the 6-month follow-up, the bone structure appeared to be successfully reconstructed.Conclusion:A graft made of a combination of materials with both biological and physical properties can be used to foster bone regeneration for the treatment ofparticularly challenging cases ofnon-unions.

Autologous Iliac Crest Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells in Bone Fusion

Introduction: Autologous iliac bone harvesting is associated with significant drawbacks and low fusion rates are noted in conditions such as osteoporosis. Bone Marrow Aspirate (BMA) is relatively inexpensive and contains mononuclear cells which can be utilised. Aim: To document the efficacy of concentrated Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells (BM-MNC) in bone fusion and compare fusion rates with autologous Iliac Crest Bone Graft (ICBG) alone versus combined ICBG and BM-MNC. Materials and Methods: This prospective, non randomised study included study group and age matched control group (of previously operated craniovertebral junction anomalies) with 15 patients in each group. Combined autologous ICBG+BM-MNC (study group) was compared with autologous ICBG alone (control group). The BMA was processed in stem-cell laboratory to procure mononuclear cells. Morcelised graft pieces mixed with BM-MNC were applied over fusion site after instrumentation. Patients were assessed for fusion and neurological outcome. Qualitative data analysis was done using Fisher exact test. Results: Mean age, surgical procedures and complications were similar in both groups. Average duration for procurement of cells was 98 minutes. Average of 40.6 million cells were utilised. Higher fusion rates were noted in the study group both at three and six months which, however, was not statistically significant (p-value 0.06 and 0.26 respectively). Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of its kind to utilise concentrated mononuclear cells combined with iliac graft which lead to higher proportion of fusion and was effective in all surgical procedures. It seems economical and might be suitable for patients who cannot afford expensive graft substitutes and with conditions like osteoporosis. Further prospective studies in larger numbers are needed to confirm these findings.

Clinical application of concentrated bone marrow aspirate in orthopaedics: A systematic review.

AIMTo examine the evidence behind the use of concentrated bone marrow aspirate (cBMA) in cartilage, bone, and tendon repair; establish proof of concept for the use of cBMA in these biologic environments; and provide the level and quality of evidence substantiating the use of cBMA in the clinical setting.METHODSWe conducted a systematic review according to PRISMA guidelines. EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Web of Knowledge databases were screened for the use of cBMA in the repair of cartilage, bone, and tendon repair. We extracted data on tissue type, cBMA preparation, cBMA concentration, study methods, outcomes, and level of evidence and reported the results in tables and text.RESULTSA total of 36 studies met inclusion/exclusion criteria and were included in this review. Thirty-one of 36 (86%) studies reported the method of centrifugation and preparation of cBMA with 15 (42%) studies reporting either a cell concentration or an increase from baseline. Variation of cBMA application was seen amongst the studies evaluated. Twenty-one of 36 (58%) were level of evidence IV, 12/36 (33%) were level of evidence III, and 3/36 (8%) were level of evidence II. Studies evaluated full thickness chondral lesions (7 studies), osteochondral lesions (10 studies), osteoarthritis (5 studies), nonunion or fracture (9 studies), or tendon injuries (5 studies). Significant clinical improvement with the presence of hyaline-like values and lower incidence of fibrocartilage on T2 mapping was found in patients receiving cBMA in the treatment of cartilaginous lesions. Bone consolidation and time to bone union was improved in patients receiving cBMA. Enhanced healing rates, improved quality of the repair surface on ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, and a decreased risk of re-rupture was demonstrated in patients receiving cBMA as an adjunctive treatment in tendon repair.CONCLUSIONThe current literature demonstrates the potential benefits of utilizing cBMA for the repair of cartilaginous lesions, bony defects, and tendon injuries in the clinical setting. This study also demonstrates discrepancies between the literature with regards to various methods of centrifugation, variable cell count concentrations, and lack of standardized outcome measures. Future studies should attempt to examine the integral factors necessary for tissue regeneration and renewal including stem cells, growth factors and a biologic scaffold.

A Retrospective Look at Integrating a Novel Regenerative Medicine Approach in Plastic Limb Reconstruction

Full-thickness wounds that have rendered patients candidates for amputation may require techniques that may include a combinatorial approach above traditional standard of care. The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an innovative approach whereby several therapies were combined to avoid amputation. Patients with full-thickness wounds who were previously recommended for amputation and were treated with the combinatorial approach of muscle flap reconstruction and concentrated bone marrow aspirate, platelet-rich plasma, INTEGRA Wound matrix, vacuum-assisted closure, and split-thickness skin grafts were assessed retrospectively. The mean age of the patients identified was 48 years (range, 34–66 years). The average size of the defects was 19.6 cm2. All defects were successfully covered with medial hemisoleus, lateral hemisoleus, or peroneus brevis muscle flaps combined with split-thickness skin grafts, concentrated bone marrow aspirate, and platelet-rich plasma. All flaps healed with an average time to fixator removal of 8.3 weeks; there was 1 above-knee amputation that occurred approximately after successful wound closing and fixator removal. The combinatorial approach described here including several regenerative medicine tools is an effective means of lower limb reconstruction to avoid amputation.

Current management of talar osteochondral lesions.

Osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT) occur in up to 70% of acute ankle sprains and fractures. OLT have become increasingly recognized with the advancements in cartilage-sensitive diagnostic imaging modalities. Although OLT may be treated nonoperatively, a number of surgical techniques have been described for patients whom surgery is indicated. Traditionally, treatment of symptomatic OLT have included either reparative procedures, such as bone marrow stimulation (BMS), or replacement procedures, such as autologous osteochondral transplantation (AOT). Reparative procedures are generally indicated for OLT < 150 mm2 in area. Replacement strategies are used for large lesions or after failed primary repair procedures. Although short- and medium-term results have been reported, long-term studies on OLT treatment strategies are lacking. Biological augmentation including platelet-rich plasma and concentrated bone marrow aspirate is becoming increasingly popular for the treatment of OLT to enhance the biological environment during healing. In this review, we describe the most up-to-date clinical evidence of surgical outcomes, as well as both the mechanical and biological concerns associated with BMS and AOT. In addition, we will review the recent evidence for biological adjunct therapies that aim to improve outcomes and longevity of both BMS and AOT procedures.

Mesenchymal stem cells in the reconstruction surgery of the supraspinatus muscle lesions

Background: The objective of the study was to demonstrate the effect of concentrated bone marrow stem cells (MSCs) to the healing of sutured tendon of the supraspinatus muscle in comparison to the same procedure performed without MSCs. We have postulated the hypothesis that MSCs enhance the healing of the sutured supraspinatus tendon to its humeral footprint. Methods and findings: None of the patients had to be excluded from our prospective randomized study. 50 patients met the indication criteria for isolated supraspinatus surgery. 25 patients (Group I) received MSCs into the supraspinatus footprint. 25 patients (Group II) was treated without the use of MSCs. Patients were examined pre-operatively, 6, 12 and 24 months after the surgery and assessment included physical examination, visual analogue scale (VAS), ASES (American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form) and Constant score. Patients underwent MRI 2 years postoperatively. Findings were compared with the preoperative results. We have found no statistically significant differences between both groups pre-operatively. After a 24-month follow-up period there were significant differences observed in all clinical outcomes. When compared results between both groups two years postoperatively, p-value (p=0.05) for the VAS score was 0.0176 and for the Constant score 0.0355. The only statistically non-significant was p-value for the ASES score comparing results from both groups at two years follow-up (p=0.085). The MRI findings at 2 years showed fully healed tissue of the rotator cuff tendon in 17 patients in the Group I, but only in 9 patients in the Group II. Conclusions: We have accepted the hypothesis that MSCs enhance the healing of the sutured supraspinatus tendon to its humeral footprint.

Quantitative Assessment of Optimal Bone Marrow Site for the Isolation of Porcine Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Background. One of the most plentiful sources for MSCs is the bone marrow; however, it is unknown whether MSC yield differs among different bone marrow sites. In this study, we quantified cellular yield and evaluated resident MSC population from five bone marrow sites in the porcine model. In addition, we assessed the feasibility of a commercially available platelet concentrator (Magellan® MAR01™ Arteriocyte Medical Systems, Hopkinton, MA) as a bedside stem cell concentration device. Methods. Analyses of bone marrow aspirate (BMA) and concentrated bone marrow aspirate (cBMA) included bone marrow volume, platelet and nucleated cell yield, colony-forming unit fibroblast (CFU-F) number, flow cytometry, and assessment of differentiation potential. Results. Following processing, the concentration of platelets and nucleated cells significantly increased but was not significantly different between sites. The iliac crest had significantly less bone marrow volume; however, it yielded significantly more CFUs compared to the other bone marrow sites. Culture-expanded cells from all tested sites expressed high levels of MSC surface markers and demonstrated adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation potential. Conclusions. All anatomical bone marrow sites contained MSCs, but the iliac crest was the most abundant source of MSCs. Additionally, the Magellan can function effectively as a bedside stem cell concentrator.

Autologous osteoblastic cells (PREOBy) versus concentrated bone marrow implantation in osteonecrosis of the femoral head: A randomized study

Background In non-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH), implantation of bone marrow concentrate (BMC) containing mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) could delay ONFH progression and improve symptoms (Hernigou 2002, Gangji 2004). The next step was to assess the hypothesis that a population of autologous osteoblastic cells (OB) consisting in a more differentiated cell than MSC, could be more efficacious than BMC in early stages ON. Objectives To evaluate the efficacy of OB cells implantation in a randomized comparison with BMC implantation in precollapse ARCO stages ONFH. Methods In a randomized controlled single blind trial, hips were treated by a core decompression procedure followed by BMC or OB cells implantation. In the BMC group, 410.6 ± 84.9 mL of BM was concentrated to 41.8 ± 10.9 mL. In the OB group, MSC were isolated from BM aspirate (48.8 ± 17.7 mL), expanded and differentiated ex vivo under autologous conditions to obtain OB cells (18.6 ± 4.3 106 cells). Hip pain, WOMAC score and x-rays were assessed at 24 and 36 months. The primary endpoint was the absence of progression to fractural stages and a significant pain improvement (responder). Results From 72 hips randomized, 60 hips (30 group) were analyzed as the ITT efficacy cohort (50.6 ± 11.8 years). Baseline demographic data, risk factors, location and size of ON and symptoms were not statistically different between groups. At 24 months, 70% versus 40% of hips (P Discussion OB cells seems able to improve ONFH better than BMC implantation. No difference was observed in the safety profiles of OB cells and BMC. Conclusions OB cells (PREOBy) treatment seems to be more efficacious than BMC treatment to delay the evolution to subchondral fracture and to reduce pain in ONFH.

Efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells in treating patients with osteoarthritis of the knee: A meta-analysis.

To assess the clinical efficacy and safety of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee (KOA), a systematic electronic literature search was performed on PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science. Studies published in English from the earliest record to December 2014 were searched using the following keywords: Cartilage defect, cartilage repair, osteoarthritis, KOA, stem cells, MSCs, bone marrow concentrate (BMC), adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells, synovial-derived mesenchymal stem cells and peripheral blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells. The effect sizes of selected studies were determined by extracting pain scores from the visual analog scale and functional changes from International Knee Documentation Committee and Lysholm and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index before and after MSCs or reference treatments at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. The factors were analyzed and the outcomes were modified after comparing the MSC group pooled values with the pretreatment baseline or between different treatment arms. A systematic search identified 18 clinical trials on this topic, including 10 single-arm prospective studies, four quasi-experimental studies and four randomized controlled trials that used BMCs to treat 565 patients with KOA in total. MSC treatment in patients with KOA showed continual efficacy for 24 months compared with their pretreatment condition. Effectiveness of MSCs was improved at 12 and 24 months post-treatment, compared with at 3 and 6 months. No dose-responsive association in the MSCs numbers was demonstrated. However, patients with arthroscopic debridement, activation agent or lower degrees of Kellgren-Lawrence grade achieved improved outcomes. MSC application ameliorated the overall outcomes of patients with KOA, including pain relief and functional improvement from basal evaluations, particularly at 12 and 24 months after follow-up.

P92 - Comparison of Outcomes between Artificial Disc Replacements and Bone Marrow Concentrate Injections at the Same Clinic for Chronic Discogenic Low Back Pain

P92 - Comparison of Outcomes between Artificial Disc Replacements and Bone Marrow Concentrate Injections at the Same Clinic for Chronic Discogenic Low Back Pain

Allografts supercharged with bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells possess equivalent osteogenic capacity to that of autograft: a study with long-term follow-ups of human biopsies.

Bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) have been proposed to enhance bone formation in allografts. However, it is not known whether a combination of MSCs, contained in bone marrow concentrate (BMC) and structural allograft could be better than an allograft without MSCs and equivalent to a femoral head autograft in terms of histologic bone formation and long-term cellularity in the graft. After ten years of follow-up, three types of grafts: those initially loaded with BM-MSCs; dead, irradiated allografts; autografts. Twenty patients received acetabular grafting during hip surgery and subsequently underwent femoral hip revision eight to 13years later (average 10years). Revision surgery was for reasons other than graft failure. These 20 patients had received eight allografts initially loaded with BM-MSCs: six dead irradiated allografts and six autografts. The number of MSCs present in the three types of graft were evaluated at the time of initial surgery and at revision. New bone formation associated in the acetabular graft was assessed by histology and calculated as a percentage of total available bony area. At the most recent follow-ups (average 10years), concentration of MSCs in allografts previously loaded with BM-MSCs was higher than that found in autografts. There were low or no MSCs found in uncharged allografts. New-bone-formation analysis showed that allografts loaded with BM-MSCs produced more new bone (35%; range 20-50%) compared with either uncharged allografts (9%; range 2-15%) or autografts (24%; range 12-32%). Our observations with allografts charged with BM-MSCs provides evidence in support of a long-term benefit of supercharging bone allografts with autologous BM-MSCs.

Processing Volumes and Therapeutic Cellular Doses of Point of Care Bone Marrow Concentrates

AIMS: Bone Marrow Concentrates (BMC) applied to treat several osteo-articular pathologies had reported positive clinical outcomes at short- to medium-term follow up. However, the diversity of indications reported and the lack of consensus describing the formulation of BMC make it difficult to circumscribe basic processing variables to generate them. We analyzed the influence of processing different Bone Marrow (BM) volumes over the formulation and deliverable cell dose of BMC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Main cellular populations were characterized in BMC manufactured and applied for autologous use during the same surgical procedure. To do this, Flow Cytometry and Fibroblastic Colony Forming Units (CFU-Fs) assays were used. RESULTS: Cell concentration of aspirates was not statistically influenced in the range of volumes analyzed. Consequently the quality of BM seems to be conserved in the range of volumes assayed. By using the protocol described, the quality of BMC traditionally defined as CFU-F per mL did not differ in the range of volumes assayed whereas total dose of CFU-F and other differentiated cells effectively changed. CONCLUSIONS: The volume of BM defines cellular doses arriving to the patient with statistically significant differences. Parameters currently used to describe the quality of BMC as CFU-F/mL appear to be directly influenced by working volumes and thus total cellular doses applied might better characterize these products. Finally, since it is uncertain what cells within BMC form part of its active substance, the quantification of main cell subsets could be helpful to better understand where, when and how these medicinal products work.

Intra-articular bone marrow concentrate injection protocol: short-term efficacy in osteoarthritis.

Evaluate intra-articular injection of bone marrow concentrate (BMC), followed by platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection at 8 weeks follow-up in moderate/severe osteoarthritis. Single center, retrospective Case Series (n = 125). Bone marrow was aspirated/concentrated using a standardized technique. Patients received a single intra-articular injection of BMC, with follow-up injection of PRP at 8 weeks. Median absolute pain reduction in all joints was five points (71.4%) on visual analog scale. Median patient satisfaction was 9.0/10, while 91.7% indicated that they would repeat the procedure and 94% said that they would recommend the procedure to a friend. Intra-articular injection of BMC, followed by a PRP injection, can provide short-term benefits in moderate-to-severe osteoarthritis.

2. The Effect of Combined Therapy, Percutaneous Autologous Concentrated Bone Marrow Grafting and Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS), on the Treatment of Non-Unions

We discuss the effect of combined therapy of percutaneous autologous concentrated bone graft and LIPUS on complex non-union treatment. Seventeen of 27 treated patients who had received the therapy at least 1 year before were discussed (10 femurs, 5 tibiae, 1 humerus, and 1 ulna). The average age of the patients was 40.7, and atrophic degeneration was observed in all cases. After 12 months of treatment, bone union was recognized in 76% in all cases, and in 87% of lower long bones. It was reported that LIPUS was effective at improving blood flow, accelerating cytokines which induce angiogenesis, promoting the transport of nutrition and enzymes to living cells, developing the differentiation of osteoblast from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), inhibiting the differentiation and development of osteoclast, and promoting endochondral ossification. In this study, all patients had been treated with LIPUS for more than 3 months before the grafting was conducted, but the bone union seemed to stop. It was thought that this combined therapy provided a bone marrow cell growth factor sufficient to enable new bone formation to re-start bone union, and then LIPUS worked effectively to promote the initial differentiation, contributing to new bone formation. This combination therapy-less invasive, safe, and low cost-was considered one useful treatment option for non-union.

Autologous Bone Marrow Concentrate in a Sheep Model of Osteoarthritis: New Perspectives for Cartilage and Meniscus Repair.

Cell-based therapies are becoming a valuable tool to treat osteoarthritis (OA). This study investigated and compared the regenerative potential of bone marrow concentrate (BMC) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), both engineered with Hyaff(®)-11 (HA) for OA treatment in a sheep model. OA was induced via unilateral medial meniscectomy. Bone marrow was aspirated from the iliac crest, followed by concentration processes or cell isolation and expansion to obtain BMC and MSC, respectively. Treatments consisted of autologous BMC and MSC seeded onto HA. The regenerative potential of bone, cartilage, menisci, and synovia was monitored using macroscopy, histology, immunohistochemistry, and micro-computed tomography at 12 weeks post-op. Data were analyzed using the general linear model with adjusted Sidak's multiple comparison and Spearman's tests. BMC-HA treatment showed a greater repair ability in inhibiting OA progression compared to MSC-HA, leading to a reduction of inflammation in cartilage, meniscus, and synovium. Indeed, the decrease of inflammation positively contributed to counteract the progression of fibrotic and hypertrophic processes, known to be involved in tissue failure. Moreover, the treatment with BMC-HA showed the best results in allowing meniscus regeneration. Minor healing effects were noticed at bone level for both cell strategies; however, a downregulation of subchondral bone thickness (Cs.Th) was found in both cell treatments compared to the OA group in the femur. The transplantation of BMC-HA provided the best effects in supporting regenerative processes in cartilage, meniscus, and synovium and at less extent in bone. On the whole, both MSC and BMC combined with HA reduced inflammation and contributed to switch off fibrotic and hypertrophic processes. The observed regenerative potential by BMC-HA on meniscus could open new perspectives, suggesting its use not only for OA care but also for the treatment of meniscal lesions, even if further analyses are necessary to confirm its healing potential at long-term follow-up.

Improvement of Fat Graft Survival with Autologous Bone Marrow Aspirate and Bone Marrow Concentrate: A One-Step Method.

Stem cells have proven to be beneficial to fat graft survival, but a one-step method of cell-assisted lipotransfer is still missing. In the present work, the authors improved the fat graft survival using bone marrow aspirate and bone marrow concentrate, to ensure that both liposuction and cell-assisted lipotransfer were included in the same procedure. Bone marrow aspirate was collected from the iliac crest of the rabbits. Bone marrow concentrate was obtained using density gradient centrifugation and labeled with PKH26 fluorescent cell linker. Rabbits were divided into three groups: group A, bone marrow aspirate; group B, bone marrow concentrate; and group C, phosphate-buffered saline buffer as a blank control. The implanted mixture contained 1.5 ml of adipose granule and 1 ml of bone marrow aspirate or bone marrow concentrate. The rabbits were subjected to fluorescence imaging in vivo at four time points. Grafts were harvested and analyzed at 4 weeks and 12 weeks after fat grafting. Bone marrow cell fluorescence signals were observed in the rabbits' injection regions during a follow-up of 12 weeks. The fat grafts of group A and B showed a better weight and volume retention, living quality, adipocyte viability, and angiogenesis after transplantation. The results of living tissue imaging also showed that the implanted bone marrow cells could contribute to fat graft survival by multilineage differentiation and could also contribute to adipogenesis and angiogenesis. Both bone marrow aspirate and bone marrow concentrate improved the survival and angiogenesis of grafted fat tissue.

Core Decompression and Autologous Bone Marrow Concentrate for Treatment of Femoral Head Osteonecrosis: A Randomized Prospective Study.

The aim of this study was to investigate the safety of injection of bone marrow aspirate concentrate during core decompression and to study its clinical (visual analogue scale; Harris-Hip-score) and radiological outcomes (magnetic resonance imaging). In this prospective and randomized clinical trial we evaluated 24 consecutive patients with non-traumatic femoral head necrosis (FHN) during a period of two years after intervention. In vitro analysis of mesenchymal stem cells was performed by evaluating the fibroblast colony forming units (CFU-Fs). Postoperatively, significant decrease in pain associated with a functional benefit lasting was observed. However, there was no difference in the clinical outcome between the two study groups. Over the period of two years there was no significant difference between the head survival rate between both groups. In contrast to that, we could not perceive any significant change in the volume of FHN in both treatment groups related to the longitudinal course after treating. The number of CFU showed a significant increase after centrifugation. This trial could not detect a benefit from the additional injection of bone marrow concentrate with regard to bone regeneration and clinical outcome in the short term.