Lipogems® for Knee Cartilage Damage: A Case Report Summary
M. Franceschini, C. Castellaneta, G. Mineo · 2016
Young Athlete Returns to Skiing After Failed Treatments
This case report follows a 33-year-old semi-professional snowboarder who suffered significant knee cartilage damage from a skiing accident. Before trying Lipogems®, he had already undergone two surgeries and a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection. None of these treatments resolved his ongoing knee pain. His cartilage lesions were classified as Outerbridge grade 2-3, indicating moderate to severe damage affecting multiple layers of cartilage.
Pain Disappeared Completely Within Six Weeks
After receiving a single Lipogems® injection, the patient experienced an initial period of increased pain lasting about ten days. This temporary worsening is not unusual after joint injections. However, his symptoms then steadily improved. By six weeks after treatment, his knee pain had completely disappeared. This was a dramatic change for someone who had been living with constant anterior knee pain for years despite multiple surgical interventions.
Knee Function Scores Showed Major Improvement
Doctors tracked the patient's progress using the Oxford Knee Score, a standard questionnaire measuring knee function and pain. His score improved from 36 at baseline to 46 at six weeks. For context, scores between 40 and 48 indicate satisfactory joint function, while scores below 40 suggest significant problems. His improvement of ten points represents a meaningful change in daily function. At 30 months after treatment, his score had climbed to 48, showing continued benefit over time.
MRI Confirmed Cartilage Healing at One Year
Beyond symptom relief, the patient's 12-month MRI scan showed objective improvement in the cartilage lesion itself. The imaging revealed better signal quality in the damaged cartilage area compared to before treatment. This is significant because it suggests actual tissue improvement, not just pain relief. Such imaging evidence helps confirm that the micro-fragmented adipose tissue may support genuine cartilage healing.
Patient Returned to Competitive Sports Pain-Free
Perhaps the most meaningful outcome was the patient's return to full activity. At 30 months after his Lipogems® treatment, he was skiing with no pain and no restrictions. This represents a complete lifestyle recovery for someone whose sport and daily activities had been severely limited. The treatment required no special rehabilitation protocol afterward. He was able to bear full weight and walk immediately after the outpatient procedure.
What This Means for Your Treatment Decision
This case report describes just one patient, so results may vary for others with knee cartilage damage. However, several aspects are encouraging:
Minimally invasive approach: The procedure used the patient's own fat tissue, processed in about 15-20 minutes, and injected into the knee joint as an outpatient treatment.
Success after other treatments failed: This patient had not responded to microfractures, rehabilitation, or PRP therapy before trying Lipogems®.
Long-lasting results: Benefits continued for at least 30 months with no reported complications.
No complex recovery: Unlike his previous surgeries, this treatment required no restricted weight bearing or extensive rehabilitation.
The authors note that while this single case cannot prove effectiveness, it suggests that micro-fragmented adipose tissue (specially processed fat from your own body) may provide support and potential healing for damaged cartilage. The tissue contains pericytes (helper cells that support blood vessel healing) and MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells), which have known anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties.
If you have knee cartilage damage and are considering your options, this case demonstrates that Lipogems® may offer hope even when other treatments have not worked. Discuss with your doctor whether your specific situation is similar to this patient's and whether this approach might be appropriate for you.
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Source: Franceschini et al., None, 2016.
Original Publication
Injection of autologous micro-fragmented adipose tissue for the treatment of post-traumatic degenerative lesion of knee cartilage: a case report
M. Franceschini, C. Castellaneta, G. Mineo · 2016
The chondral lesion of the knee represents a challenge for the orthopedic surgeon because of the limited regenerative properties of the affected tissue. A variety of treatments has been proposed with variable success rates. Recently, new therapeutic approaches, such as the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), seem to have promising results when applied in the context of joint degeneration, and an ideal source could be the adipose tissue, due to its abundance, the easy access, and the simple isolation procedures. This case report evaluates the potential benefits of injecting autologous, micro-fragmented, and minimally manipulated adipose tissue (Lipogems®) in a severe case of multi-operated cartilage degeneration. The patient is a 33-year-old semi-professional snowboarder who sustained a knee trauma and failed multiple treatments including ACL reconstruction, microfractures, and PRP injection. Micro-fragmented adipose tissue was obtained using a minimal manipulation technique in a closed system (Lipogems®), without the addition of enzymes or any other additives. After an initial period of worsening pain, symptoms progressively improved, with pain completely disappearing in 6 weeks. The Oxford Knee Score improved from 36 at baseline to 46 at 12 weeks. Clinical improvement was confirmed by MRI at 12 months. Thirty months post-treatment, the patient was able to ski without pain or restrictions. These results suggest that autologous, micro-fragmented adipose tissue injection provides support, potential healing, improved joint functionality, and pain relief in chondral lesions.