Multimodality Minimally Invasive Treatment of Large Joint Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Trial of Stromal Vascular Fraction from Autologous Fat Combined with Platelet-Rich Plasma

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that can cause severe pain in those affected. Currently, there are no therapeutic drugs available to treat osteoarthritis. While total joint arthroplasties (TJA) allow for improved function, there are no less invasive, yet effective procedures that can be done for patients unwilling or unable to undergo major surgery.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been shown to reduce the symptoms of OA when injected into the affected joint. Patients treated by this method alone have improved self-reported pain (at least a 50% reduction from original value) as well as lower extremity function. While the effects of PRP treatment on OA have been positive, treatment with SVF offers additional benefits that PRP alone cannot. SVF contains a significant amount of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), which have great potential in the field of regenerative medicine. The potential to generate new cartilage in osteoarthritic joints goes beyond treatment of the symptoms offering a reversal of the harmful pathology. Considering the positive results seen from both SVF and PRP treatment, the reduced risk of surgical complication when compared to TJA, and the possibility for equal or greater pain improvement and joint functionality compared to TJA, we believed it would be advantageous to investigate a combined PRP and SVF therapy for relief of both mild and advanced stage OA