Positive Results on Blood Stem Cell Research Reported

Researchers from Malaysia reported positive results of blood stem cell research. The process involves the use of intra-articular injections of autologous peripheral blood stem cells with hyaluronic acid to cause hyaline cartilage regeneration.

Doctors at the Kuala Lumpur Sports Medicine Centre and the University of Putra Malaysia had a clinical trial of the procedure. The study involved ten patients who had chondral defects. The patients were followed for two years after they were treated with arthroscopic multiple subcondral drillings. MRI scans on patients whose knees were injected with weekly doses of intra-articular injections of peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) showed that the subchondral bone began to heal. Patients also had improved post-operative IKDC scores aside from their hyaline cartilage having mature and full-thickness chondrocytes. According to the report, the patients did not experience any adverse reactions. The patients only experienced some discomfort during the processing of PBSCs and during the intra-articular injections.

The positive results of the test were disclosed by Khay-Yong Saw, the lead investigator in the study in the British Orthopedic Association’s Annual Congress.

Since results of the clinical trials were encouraging, the procedure has been performed by Saw 160 times. According to Saw, the process is a very cost-effective way for producing chondrongenesis.