Developed a bandage of stem cells

capable of healing meniscus lesions

Once surgically implanted in the lesion, the 'bandage' induces cell growth to repair
damaged tissue, thus avoiding the need for a meniscectomy.

Each year, more than one million people in the States suffer from a meniscal injury, ie, a
tear of the cartilaginous tissues that act as knee pads and confer stability to the knee. A
type of injury very common in sports such as soccer and in up to 90% of cases is
located in the central or 'white' area of the menisci. Not in vain, this central zone
withstands most of the pressure when the knee is flexed. The problem is that this area
lacks blood irrigation, so it can not heal and therefore be cured. So what is the solution?
Well simply, and at least in the case of professional athletes who do not want to see their
career truncated, go through the operating room for a total removal of the meniscus. An
intervention that, known as 'meniscectomy', is not without risks, especially the
development, many years later, of osteoarthritis of the knee. However, researchers at the
University of Liverpool (UK) could have found the way to heal the injury, which would
avoid having to resort to the removal of the menisci.

Specifically, the study, published in the journal " Stem Cells Translational Medicine "
shows how a 'bandage' of stem cells from the patient is able to induce cell growth in
the area of injury and thus repair the fractured tissue.

As the research director Anthony Hollander explains, "the results of our work are
very encouraging and show that the 'bandaging' is presented as a potential
alternative to surgical removal by repairing damaged tissue and completely
restoring the functionality of the knee '.

Meniscus 'repaired'
In the study, the authors evaluated the efficacy of their 'cell bandage' prototype in five
volunteers aged 18 to 45 years who had suffered a lesion in the white area of the
menisci.

First, the researchers took stem cells from the marrowbone of each of the participants
and harvested them on laboratory plates for two weeks. Then, they placed the mature
stem cells into a membranous framework. And finally, they surgically implanted this
framework with stem cells - or as the authors themselves have called it, 'cell bandage' -
in the middle of the meniscus lesion and sew the cartilage around it to cover it and fix it
in place.

Our 'cell bandage' repair damaged tissue and completely restores the functionality
of the knee.
And is this procedure effective? Well, according to the results, yes, and a lot. Not
surprisingly, all participants showed some intact after 12 months of operation menisci.
And after 24 months, three patients still had a spotless menisci and a knees - not fully
functional and in the other two cases, in which the reappearance of the pain of the
original injury or a new tear caused had to be operated For the total excision of their
menisci.

So, this stem cell 'bandage' will prevent patients from having to go through the
operating room? Well, no. In fact, the current procedure requires two surgical
interventions: one for obtaining the stem cells and another for the implantation of the
bandage. But as noted by Anthony Hollander, "today we are developing an improved
version of the 'cell bandage' using donor stem cells, which will reduce the costs of the
procedure and prevent two operations."

No risk of osteoarthritis
The new 'bandage' could prevent those affected had to undergo a removal of their
menisci and, therefore, end up suffering from a knee osteoarthritis.
As highlighted by the head of the research, "the 'cell bandage' offers a potential new
therapeutic option that could especially benefit younger patients and athletes to reduce
their risk of early osteoarthritis after meniscectomy."