Autologous Fat Tissue Shows Promise for Knee Arthritis Pain Relief
Kristoffer Weisskirchner Barfod, Lars Blønd · 2019
Danish Study Tracks Twenty Patients for One Full Year
Researchers in Denmark conducted a pilot study to test whether injecting processed fat tissue into arthritic knees is safe and practical. Twenty patients with knee osteoarthritis received a single injection of their own micro-fragmented adipose tissue (specially processed fat from their belly area). The Lipogems® system was used to prepare this tissue. All twenty patients completed the full year of follow-up visits at three, six, and twelve months.
The study enrolled adults aged 18 to 70 who had suffered knee pain for more than six months. Participants had varying degrees of arthritis severity. Researchers excluded people with significant knee alignment problems, torn cruciate ligaments, or a body mass index over 35.
Only One Minor Complication Reported in Study Group
Safety was the main focus of this research. After tracking all twenty patients, only one adverse event occurred. One patient noticed cosmetic changes at the site where fat was harvested from the abdomen. A plastic surgeon later corrected this issue successfully.
Patients did report moderate to severe pain at the belly harvest site during the first few weeks. However, no one experienced lasting pain at the three-month check-up. The injection site in the knee showed no infections, significant swelling, or other problems.
Pain Scores Drop by Fourteen Points After Treatment
The researchers measured patient outcomes using the KOOS questionnaire. This is a well-established tool that tracks knee pain, symptoms, daily function, sports ability, and quality of life. Scores range from zero (worst) to one hundred (best).
Key improvements at twelve months included:
Pain: improved by 14 points
Daily activities: improved by 13 points
Sports and recreation: improved by 19 points
Quality of life: improved by 15 points
Symptoms: improved by 7 points
These improvements were statistically significant at all follow-up visits. A change of ten points or more is generally considered meaningful for patients in everyday life.
Simple Outpatient Procedure Takes One Surgical Session
The entire treatment happened in a single visit. First, doctors numbed a section of the patient's abdomen and used a blunt needle to collect fat tissue. This fat was then processed immediately using the Lipogems® device. The system breaks down the fat into tiny clusters while washing away blood and inflammatory substances.
The final product—about ten millilitres of processed tissue—was injected into the knee joint using ultrasound guidance. The whole process preserved the natural healing cells within the fat, including pericytes (helper cells that support blood vessel healing) and mesenchymal stem cells (regenerative cells that can become various tissue types).
More Rigorous Research Still Needed for Confirmation
While these results are encouraging, this study has important limitations. There was no control group receiving a placebo or alternative treatment. This means researchers cannot say for certain that the improvements came from the injection rather than other factors.
The authors clearly state that randomised controlled trials are needed to prove the treatment's effectiveness. This pilot study was designed primarily to check safety and practicality rather than to definitively prove the treatment works.
What This Means for Patients Considering Treatment
This Danish research adds to growing evidence that micro-fragmented adipose tissue injections appear safe for knee osteoarthritis. The procedure uses your own tissue, avoiding concerns about donor compatibility or rejection.
For patients exploring options beyond traditional treatments like physiotherapy, pain medication, or eventual knee replacement, this study suggests Lipogems® may offer a reasonable middle-ground approach. However, patients should discuss their individual circumstances with their doctor and understand that larger studies are still underway to confirm long-term benefits.
Source: Barfod et al., None, 2019.
Original Publication
Treatment of osteoarthritis with autologous and microfragmented adipose tissue
Kristoffer Weisskirchner Barfod, Lars Blønd · 2019
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the leading cause of disability in elderly people. Several non-invasive solutions have been proposed with varying success rates. Recently, new therapeutic approaches, such as the use of minimally manipulated tissue products, have gained increasing popularity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety and feasibility of a single intra-articular injection of autologous, microfragmented adipose tissue in patients with knee OA. The study was performed as a prospective cohort study. Microfragmented adipose tissue was obtained using a minimal manipulation technique (Lipogems). The safety of the procedure was evaluated by recording the type and incidence of any adverse events at three months. The clinical outcomes were determined using the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) scale at three, six and 12 months of follow-up. Twenty patients were included in the study and all participated in the follow-up. Only one adverse event was registered; a patient complaint of cosmetic changes to the abdominal subcutaneous tissue. The improvements in KOOS were significant at all follow-up. At one year, KOOS pain had improved by 14 points, symptoms by seven, activity of daily living by 13, sports by 19 and quality of life by 15. The intra-articular injection of autologous, microfragmented adipose tissue for treatment of knee OA seems safe. Randomised controlled trials are needed to elucidate the efficacy of the treatment.