Kneecap Arthritis Improved in Patients Regardless of Age or Weight

Combined Treatment Targets Front-of-Knee Arthritis

Patellofemoral osteoarthritis affects the joint where your kneecap meets your thigh bone. This condition causes more than 45% of all knee arthritis cases. It often causes pain at the front of the knee, especially when climbing stairs. Traditional treatments like physical therapy or injections don't always work well for this specific type of arthritis.

Researchers in Italy studied a combined approach using arthroscopy plus Lipogems®. This treatment uses micro-fragmented adipose tissue (specially processed fat) from your own body. The fat tissue contains regenerative cells that may help heal damaged cartilage.

23 Patients Tracked for Nearly Two Years

The study followed 23 patients with early-to-moderate kneecap arthritis. Their average age was about 60 years old. Researchers tracked their progress for an average of 22 months after treatment.

During the procedure, doctors first performed arthroscopy to clean up damaged tissue. They then harvested a small amount of fat from the patient's abdomen. This fat was processed using the Lipogems® system and injected into the knee joint. Patients could walk immediately after surgery and began exercises the next day.

Knee Function Scores Rose by 58% on Average

The results showed meaningful improvements across multiple measures:

• Knee scores improved from 36 points before surgery to 62 points at follow-up

• Function scores jumped from 52 points to 82 points

• Pain scores dropped from 8.7 to 5.2 on a ten-point scale

These improvements were statistically significant. Patients also reported better ability to climb stairs, which is often the most difficult activity for people with kneecap arthritis.

Results Held Steady Across Different Patient Groups

One of the most encouraging findings was that results didn't depend on patient characteristics. The researchers compared outcomes based on three factors:

• Age: Patients under 60 improved just as much as those 60 and older

• Body weight: Patients with higher BMI (body mass index of 30 or above) saw similar benefits to those with lower BMI

• Arthritis severity: Patients with moderate arthritis (stage three) improved as much as those with milder disease (stages one and two)

This suggests the treatment may work for a wide range of patients with this condition.

A Promising Option When Other Treatments Fall Short

The authors note that managing kneecap arthritis remains challenging. Conservative treatments often fail. Joint replacement surgery may be too aggressive for early or moderate cases. This combined approach of arthroscopy plus fat tissue injection offers a middle-ground option.

The treatment uses your own tissue, which reduces the risk of rejection. The Lipogems® processing keeps the fat tissue intact without adding chemicals or expanding cells in a laboratory.

Study Limitations Worth Considering

This was a retrospective case series, meaning researchers looked back at patient records rather than comparing groups. There was no control group receiving a different treatment. The study size was relatively small at 23 patients.

Longer follow-up studies with more patients would help confirm these findings. Randomized controlled trials comparing this approach to other treatments would provide stronger evidence.

Despite these limitations, the consistent improvements across different patient types are encouraging. For patients with early-to-moderate kneecap arthritis who haven't found relief from other treatments, this combined approach may offer meaningful pain reduction and better function.

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Source: Vasso et al., Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, 2022.