The latest and most comprehensive scientific review, involving experts worldwide, focuses on regenerative medicine solutions for repairing damaged knee cartilage, particularly to prevent osteoarthritis following trauma. Autologous fat infiltrations with Lipogems MFAT are considered the most effective, safe, and biologically active approach compared to other regenerative systems
Revised by Professor Carlo Tremolada, Scientific Director of Image Regenerative Clinic and co-author of the review study.
Lipogems MFAT fosters a Prime Regenerative Environment
According to a comprehensive review of scientific literature, MFAT offers distinct advantages. It boasts a safety profile and supports the sustained secretion of active cytokines for a prolonged period. These cytokines contribute to the repair of damaged tissue and the reduction of inflammatory responses. Additionally, MFAT provides a perfect natural environment for pericytes found within the microfragmented adipose tissue. These pericytes have the potential to differentiate into mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) over time. This natural process is considered more advantageous than using scaffolds that solely rely on the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) or cultured and expanded MSCs.
Compared to other solutions evaluated in the review, Lipogems® MFAT stands out as a highly effective natural injectable scaffold. Essentially, it functions as a living tissue graft that can be implanted and remains in place for a significant duration, promoting cartilage repair
What are injectable scaffolds for cartilage repair?
Injectable scaffolds for cartilage repair or regeneration are a promising tissue engineering strategy for efficiently delivering cells, growth factors and bioactive molecules that promote regeneration of articular cartilage.
Intra-articular injection of autologous adipose tissue, obtained through liposuction from the patient themselves and then microfragmented using the Lipogems system (MFAT), has emerged as a promising one-step strategy for treating cartilage damage. This minimally invasive approach offers a single solution for addressing the issue. Since its introduction and use in patients with knee articular cartilage damage, MFAT therapy has shown encouraging clinical results. These include significant pain reduction, functional recovery, and demonstrably positive outcomes on radiological examinations.
Why knee cartilage doesn’t heal itself: a challenge for regeneration
Promoting natural self-repair of articular cartilage remains a significant hurdle for researchers. Unlike many other tissues in the body, healthy articular cartilage has a limited capacity for self-healing. This is because it lacks blood vessels, which deliver essential growth factors and regenerative cells crucial for repair processes seen in other organs like the skin or liver. Consequently, damage to knee cartilage often progresses towards osteoarthritis.
Traditional treatments for knee osteoarthritis, whether conservative (physiotherapy, weight management, pain medication) or surgical (knee replacement), have limitations in preventing or reversing long-term degeneration. While knee replacement can alleviate pain, it often fails to fully restore the structure and function of natural cartilage. This means that despite pain relief, patients may not regain full knee function.
This is where Lipogems regenerative medicine steps in. By utilizing injectable scaffolds like Lipogems MFAT, it aims to overcome these limitations. These scaffolds promote the regeneration of new, healthy, and functional cartilage tissue, offering a potential solution for overcoming the limitations of traditional treatments.
