According to a Mayo Clinic research based on global data, the use of regenerative medicine in routine shoulder procedures might lessen the need for corrective surgery in certain patients. The researchers at the Mayo Clinic reviewed the most extensive data available to assess if the addition of a concentrated bone marrow aspirate to the mended tissues following a routine rotator cuff surgery would enhance patient outcomes. Bone marrow is a fluid collected from the patient’s bones that includes a high concentration of growth factors, stem cells, and other regenerative cells.
Results indicated that 114 patients who opted for a concentrated bone marrow aspirate at the time of surgery were less likely to need a second operation. The findings of the research conducted by the Mayo Clinic will be published in the Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine.
In the United States, a rotator cuff tear, which is caused by the separation of tendons in the shoulder joint, is the leading cause of pain and impairment for millions of individuals. Standard therapy for treating symptomatic rotator cuff injuries is arthroscopic surgery. However, depending on the degree of the rupture and the quality of the tendon, this operation may fail and in some situations need a correction procedure.
Emerging in the realm of medicine, regenerative medicine explores innovative biotherapies to regenerate damaged cells, tissues, and organs. For usage in pharmaceuticals, biological components that use human body resources, such as cells, blood, enzymes, tissue, DNA, or genetically modified cells, are of interest. The Center for Regenerative Biotherapies at the Mayo Clinic is a leader in this movement and supports this research as part of its mission to implement innovative biotherapies.