Adipose tissue or fat tissue is a rich source of many types of cells. One such group of cells are the stem cells, which has the remarkable potential to differentiate into other cell types and promote healing. Adipose derived stem cell therapy is used in a variety of orthopedic conditions, such as joint osteoarthritis, cartilage damage, ligament and tendon injuries, bony injuries and degenerative disc disease.
The first step in the preparation of adipose derived cell therapy involves the injection of tumescent anesthesia or local anesthesia to the skin and the tissues under the skin. A manual aspiration of the fat tissue is then performed using a low pressure syringe and a thin tube or cannula. The collected fat tissue undergoes washing to remove the oil residue, red blood cells and other cellular debris. The mechanical processing also includes resizing into smaller clusters. The final product is called MFAT or micro fragmented adipose tissue. MFAT preserves the natural environment and architecture of the tissue which are beneficial for its healing properties. This is collected into a sterile syringe ready for injection. The adipose tissue derived stem cells is then injected into the injured tissues using imaging guidance, such as ultrasound or fluoroscopy. The entire process is performed on the same day and is well tolerated with minimal need for pain medication‘s.
