Osteoarthritis is a joint disease that mostly affects cartilage. Cartilage is the slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint. Healthy cartilage allows bones to glide over each other. It also helps absorb shock of movement. In osteoarthritis, the top layer of cartilage breaks down and wears away. This allows bones under the cartilage to rub together. The rubbing causes pain, swelling, and loss of motion of the joint. Over time, the joint may lose its normal shape. Also, bone spurs may grow on the edges of the joint. Bits of bone or cartilage can break off and float inside the joint space, which causes more pain and damage.

People with osteoarthritis often have joint pain and reduced motion.

The cause of osteoarthritis is unknown. Factors that might cause it include:

• Being overweight
• Getting older
• Joint injury
• Joints that are not properly formed
• A genetic defect in joint cartilage
• Stresses on the joints from certain jobs and playing sports.

How can Stem Cells Help Osteoarthritis?

Currently, Osteoarthritis is treated with exercise, weight control, rest and joint care, and most commonly joint replacement surgery. Some of the medications prescribed can range from Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, Acetaminophen and pain medicine.

Despite inducing temporary improvement, these medicines do not address the issue of the damage that has already been done to the joint. Additionally, complete joint replacement surgery is a very invasive therapy within itself.

Because Osteoarthritis is caused by the degradation of the joint’s cartilage, Stem cell therapy directly injected into the joint may be able to differentiate into cartilage cells and result in regenerated joint cartilage.

How are Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC) administered in Osteoarthritis?

A typical treatment is as following; stem cells are administered by a license physician.

Medical evaluation, blood testing, hyperbaric chamber (Day 1)

Intra-articular injection of pre-diferentiated MSC plus PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) for support in the affected joint (Day 2).

Which Kinds of cells are used in Osteoarthritis and how are they obtained?

Adult stem cells are obtained from itc bank from donor tissue or autologous transplant, which is harvested from the patient’s own adipose tissue and it takes 21 days to culture, differentiate and administer the adult stem cells to the patient.

Veronesi, F., Maglio, M., Tschon, M., Aldini, N., & Fini, M. (2013). Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells for cartilage tissue engineering: State-of-The-Art in in vivo studies. Journal Of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 102(7), 2448-2466. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jbm.a.34896

Koh, Y., Choi, Y., Kwon, S., Kim, Y., & Yeo, J. (2013). Clinical results and second-look arthroscopic findings after treatment with adipose-derived stem cells for knee osteoarthritis. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, 23(5), 1308-1316. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00167-013-2807-2

Nixon, A., Watts, A., & Schnabel, L. (2012). Cell- and gene-based approaches to tendon regeneration. Journal Of Shoulder And Elbow Surgery, 21(2), 278-294. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jse.2011.11.015

Roux, C., Pisani, D., Yahia, H., Djedaini, M., Beranger, G., & Chambard, J. et al. (2013). Chondrogenic potential of stem cells derived from adipose tissue: A powerful pharmacological tool. Biochemical And Biophysical Research Communications, 440(4), 786-791. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2013.10.012