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Search the Internet for “cell + therapy + knee” and you'll discover numerous physicians and clinics that offer intra-articular stem cell injections for knee arthritis and cartilage defects. Typically, cells are harvested from blood, bone marrow, or fat, and cells might be combined with platelet-rich plasma.
To examine the evidence supporting intra-articular cellular therapy, researchers conducted a systematic review. They found six studies that met their search criteria: four randomized trials without blinding, one prospective cohort study, and one case-control study (300 knees total; half received the intervention). Three studies involved patients with osteoarthritis, and three involved patients with “focal cartilage defects.” Because studi…