Articular Cartilage Defect Grade III or IV of the Knee Clinical Trial
Official title:
Autologous Cell Therapy Enhancement of Microfracture Surgery
The purpose of this study is to assess the potential benefit of enhancing knee surgery for cartilage injury using some of the patient's own cells, taken from fat tissue, that may be able to help cartilage to regenerate.
Participation in this study will allow the surgical team to remove a small amount of fat (20
to 30 ml, or between 1 and 2 tablespoons) from just below the skin in the belly region that
will be processed to remove regenerative cells, which will then inserted into the knee to the
damaged cartilage. These cells may encourage healing at the surgical site, although whether
or how much they encourage healing is unknown. Determining whether such improved healing
occurs is the purpose of this study.
Some patients will have the fat removed and cells inserted in their knee, and other patients
will not have the fat removed or cells inserted. To which group patients are assigned is
determined by a random process, similar to flipping a coin. The surgery is the same in all
other ways for all patients.
Participation will require attending regularly scheduled postoperative visits, having 3 MRI
tests, and answering a short survey. No additional visits other beyond those normally
scheduled for postsurgical care are required.
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