Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment with Stem Cells: The Lipogems Solution

Knee osteoarthritis, or gonarthrosis, is a degenerative condition that affects millions of people, undermining quality of life with pain, stiffness, and movement limitations. If you've been diagnosed with it or live daily with these symptoms, you know how frustrating it can be. Traditional therapies, such as hyaluronic acid injections, often offer only temporary relief. But today, the frontier of medicine has shifted toward a more promising horizon: regeneration.

At Istituto Image, under the scientific guidance of Professor Carlo Tremolada, a pioneer in this field, we offer a revolutionary approach to treating knee osteoarthritis. Through the minimally invasive Lipogems methodology for knee osteoarthritis, we harness your own body's regenerative potential to address the problem at its root, offering an effective and lasting solution, often with a single application.

What is Knee Osteoarthritis: Main Causes and Symptoms

Knee osteoarthritis is a chronic condition that develops when cartilage, the smooth and elastic tissue covering the ends of bones in the joint, progressively wears down. This protective layer, as it thins, loses its ability to cushion movements, causing bone surfaces to rub against each other.

The causes are multifactorial and include:

• Aging: Natural wear and tear is one of the main factors.
• Overweight and obesity: Excess weight increases the load on knees, accelerating cartilage deterioration.
• Previous trauma: Fractures, ligament injuries (such as ACL) or meniscus damage can trigger post-traumatic arthritic processes.
• Genetic factors: There is a family predisposition to developing the condition.
• Demanding work or sports activities: Professions or sports involving repeated joint overload.

Initial symptoms are often mild and intermittent, later becoming more constant and debilitating. The most common include:

• Pain: Initially present during movement, like climbing stairs or after exertion, it can become constant even at rest or during the night.
• Joint stiffness: Especially in the morning or after long periods of inactivity.
• Swelling: Often associated with joint effusion.
• Functional limitation: Difficulty fully bending or extending the knee.
• Crackling and crunching: Sensation of "sand" inside the joint during movement.

Osteoarthritis Diagnosis: When to Consider Lipogems Treatment

An accurate diagnosis is the fundamental first step. The journey begins with a specialist orthopedic consultation, during which the doctor will evaluate the patient's clinical history and knee joint mobility. Instrumental examinations like X-rays are essential to confirm the diagnosis, showing joint space reduction and the presence of any osteophytes (small bone growths). In some cases, an MRI may be requested to assess soft tissue status, such as menisci and ligaments.

The choice to consider Lipogems® treatment emerges as the option of choice at a specific point in the patient's therapeutic journey. Typically, this occurs when conservative strategies, such as physical therapy or anti-inflammatory drugs, can no longer offer adequate pain control, leaving the person in a state of chronic suffering.

Similarly, many patients turn to us after experiencing the limitations of hyaluronic acid injections, which, while offering relief, prove to be a temporary solution with benefits that vanish within 3-6 months, requiring repeated treatment cycles. Lipogems® therefore presents itself as the ideal solution for those seeking a biological and natural approach that directly taps into their body's self-healing potential. It represents a concrete strategy for those who want to postpone, and in many cases avoid, the need for invasive surgical intervention such as knee prosthesis implantation.

How Do Stem Cell Injections for the Knee Work?

Lipogems® is not a simple injection, but a true regenerative medicine treatment. The procedure, devised and patented by Professor Carlo Tremolada, is based on using adipose tissue harvested from the patient themselves, a biological resource extraordinarily rich in mesenchymal (stem) cells and pericytes, key elements for tissue regeneration.

The process is minimally invasive and takes place in a single outpatient session:

• Harvesting: Through a small liposuction performed under local anesthesia, a minimal amount of adipose tissue is collected, usually from the abdomen or flanks.
• Processing: The harvested fat is inserted into the Lipogems® device, a closed and sterile system that, through a mechanical micro-fragmentation process, purifies the tissue, eliminating oily and inflammatory components and concentrating cells with high regenerative potential.
• Injection: The purified and activated tissue is then injected directly into the knee joint, under ultrasound guidance to ensure maximum precision.

Once injected, these cells act as a natural "repair team," releasing growth factors and anti-inflammatory cytokines that orchestrate a regeneration process.

Benefits and Results: What to Expect from Treatment

Unlike hyaluronic acid, which acts primarily as a lubricant with a temporary effect, Lipogems® promotes true biological healing. The benefits are concrete and lasting:

• Anti-inflammatory Action: The injected cells modulate the joint's inflammatory environment, leading to rapid and significant pain reduction.
• Regeneration Stimulation: Released growth factors stimulate cartilage cells to repair themselves, slowing the degenerative process.
• Functionality Improvement: Reduced pain and inflammation translate into improved mobility, flexibility, and ability to walk without limitations.

Results are not only immediate but progressive. Many patients experience significant relief within the first weeks, with benefits that continue to consolidate in subsequent months and can last for years, often with a single application.

Lipogems Treatment: Procedures, Duration, and Precautions

The Lipogems® procedure is performed on an outpatient basis and has a total duration of about 60 minutes. It's a safe technique, as it uses the patient's own tissue (autologous), eliminating any risk of rejection or allergic reaction.

Precautions: Before treatment, a specialist evaluation is essential to confirm the patient's suitability. After the procedure, a brief period of relative rest is recommended, avoiding excessive loads on the joint for the first few days. Return to normal daily activities is generally very quick.

Lifestyle and Tips to Enhance Treatment Effectiveness

To maximize and extend the benefits of Lipogems® treatment, it's essential to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Although our approach is aimed at regenerating from within, some precautions can make a big difference:

• Weight Control: Maintaining adequate body weight reduces the load on the knee joint, decreasing mechanical stress and slowing cartilage wear.
• Low-Impact Physical Activity: Sports like swimming, cycling, or walking on flat surfaces are ideal for maintaining joint mobility, strengthening thigh musculature (which acts as a natural shock absorber for the knee) without overloading the joint.
• Anti-inflammatory Diet: A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids (found in oily fish and nuts) and low in refined sugars and processed foods can help reduce systemic inflammation, supporting the healing process.
• Targeted Physical Therapy: A personalized rehabilitation program, developed in synergy with regenerative treatment, is crucial for recovering full functionality, improving balance and posture.

Addressing knee osteoarthritis today means looking beyond palliative solutions. Regenerative medicine with Lipogems® offers a concrete possibility to change the course of the pathology, not only managing symptoms but promoting deep and lasting healing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How long does it take to see effects in the knee? The first benefits in terms of pain and inflammation reduction can be felt just a few weeks after treatment. However, the regenerative process is gradual: results continue to improve progressively over the next 3-6 months, with benefits that can last for years.

How much does regenerative medicine technique for the knee cost? The cost of Lipogems® treatment is defined following a specialist medical evaluation, as it depends on the patient's specific condition and case complexity. It's important to note that, being a therapeutic procedure for orthopedic purposes, in many cases it's reimbursed by major private health insurance companies.

How much should you walk with knee osteoarthritis? Physical activity is fundamental, but it must be low-impact. Walking on flat and soft surfaces is recommended, avoiding steep ascents or descents. A 20-30 minute walk per day is generally beneficial for maintaining mobility and strengthening muscles.