Research is ongoing on the use of body fat for joint treatment
Injections of the patient’s own fat from the patient’s abdomen will help restore worn out knees and ankles. Already 120 patients have tried the new method on themselves. They talk about reducing pain and stiffness in arthritis.
Scientists have found that human adipose tissue is rich in stem cells. And they, in turn, are able to “transform” into various types of tissues. Writes about this Daily Mail. The experiment was carried out on 120 patients with arthritis. They were given only one injection containing adipose tissue cells. Some of them felt like pain and stiffness.
The method is not yet fully understood, but commercial clinics have already begun to use it. More clinical trials are needed, experts say. Since there is little evidence for efficacy, and side effects have not been studied at all.
Arthritis occurs in a person when the elastic tissue that helps the joints withstand the stress of movement wears out. The exact causes of the disease are not known. Age, injury and obesity are noted to be aggravating factors. Pain and stiffness when moving make it difficult to carry out daily activities and can lead to depression and sleep problems.
Arthritis is usually treated with pain relievers and steroid injections. In addition, up to 90,000 knee replacements are performed annually in the UK alone.
The new method involves initially suctioning fat from the abdomen by liposuction under local anesthesia. The resulting substance is then purified and processed to remove any impurities. For example, such as blood. The rest of the cells, including stem cells, are then injected into the arthritic joint. The whole procedure takes only 60 minutes.
The stem cells are said to then turn into chondroblasts, which mature into chondrocytes. These are the main components of cartilage tissue.
In addition to arthritis in the knee, studies have shown that a shot from the abdomen can also help with the same problem in the ankle. Researchers say it can be used on the shoulder and wrist.
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