The Use of Adipose Derived Stem Cells in Chronic Wound Healing

Wound healing is a complex process of angiogenesis, inflammation and proliferation relying on co-ordination of multiple cell types and cytokines. Dysregulation of this process can lead to chronicity, which we are seeing more commonly due to an increasingly comorbid population. Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ADSCs) show promise as a therapy though their ability to augment the tissue microenvironment via multiple pathways. This review aims to synthesise evidence on the effects of ADSCs on chronic wound healing to assess their efficacy. A systematic search of four databases was conducted covering a period up to June 2025. Comparative studies investigating ADSCs and wounds of any aetiology were included, and a meta-analysis was performed on pooled data. Ten studies were included in the meta-analysis (N = 498). Patients treated with ADSCs were more likely to heal at short-term follow-up (odds ratio (OR) 6.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.80-11.27; n = 377 I² = 0.00% p = 0.00) and healed significantly faster (mean difference -1.90, CI -2.28, -1.51; n = 210, I² = 23.58, p = 0.00) than controls. Grades of recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation assessment showed this evidence is of moderate certainty. This review presents clinical evidence that ADSC use is a safe therapy which expedites the healing of wounds from multiple aetiologies.