Researchers in the United Kingdom have developed a new stem cell treatment for a knee injury that often occurs to athletes.  This innovative new treatment helps to heal damage to the meniscus, a thin piece of cartilage that cushions the knee bone from the shin bone. 

Meniscus tears often happen to people who play sports like football, hockey, basketball, or soccer.  While the injury is not serious, it can prevent athletes from playing for many weeks or months.

Because the part of the meniscus that usually tears does not have many blood vessels nearby, it can be very slow to heal.  It can also heal imperfectly, which makes it vulnerable to repeated tears.  Patients with severe meniscus tears will often resort to surgery to remove the damaged component.  Unfortunately, this kind of surgery can increase the risk of osteoarthritis.

The new stem cell therapy, developed by a company called Azellon, was recently tested on patients at Bristol and Liverpool.  Researchers claim it helps patients recover faster from their injury and avoid the risks associated with surgery.

The new treatment takes some stem cells from the patient’s spine and grows them in a laboratory for a few weeks.  The stem cells are placed onto a scaffold then inserted into the area where the meniscus tore.  A bandage is then place on the knee to restrict movement while the meniscus heals.

The stem cell treatment was tested on 5 subjects with a 100% success rate.  After two years, 3 of the patients had a healthy meniscus while the other two patients had issues with their meniscus which were resolved with surgery.  Researchers hope that the treatment can be improved and be used to treat thousands of athletes around the world.

Source: Living Bandage: Researchers Trial New Stem Cell Therapy For Knee Injuries On Humans

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