Augmentation of Meniscus Surgery with Cartilage Progenitor Cell Treatment May Stimulate Healing and Improve Repair...

Meniscal tearing is one of the most common knee in- juries. Meniscus tears seldom heal, making partial meniscectomy the primary surgical option for patients seeking quick relief. Unfortunately, removal of meniscal tissue impedes loadbearing in the knee, which can lead to accelerated post-traumatic osteoarthritis. It is hypothesized that implementing stem/progenitor cells in the treatment of orthopedic soft-tissue injuries may improve the rate of healing. This article discusses the progress made by our research group in the Department of Orthopedics at Brown University Health, with funding and logistical support from Advance RI-CTR, to develop a novel cell-based strategy for stimulating meniscal fibrocartilage healing. We detail the clinical need that fueled (and continues to fuel) our research efforts, our justification for cell selection, and our published studies that have tested the efficacy of this approach using both in vitro and in vivo models of meniscal injury.