Level C· Early Human Research

Clinical use of autologous adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction cell injections for hip osteoarthritis

Onoi Y., Matsumoto T., Sobajima S., Kuroda R.

42 hip osteoarthritis patients received a single intra-articular injection averaging 3.8 × 10⁷ SVF cells, with at least six months of follow-up.

Study type
Prospective Study
Journal
Regenerative Therapy (2023)
Country
Japan
Sample size
42
Follow-up
At least 6 months
PMID
37363753
DOI
10.1016/j.reth.2023.06.006

What was studied

Short-term clinical outcomes of SVF cell therapy for hip osteoarthritis.

Methods

  • SVF harvested from abdominal or buttock fat using a Celution 800/CRS system (mean viability 90.8%).
  • Assessed with the Harris Hip Score and Japanese Orthopaedic Association hip disease evaluation.

Key findings

  • Hip function scores improved over short-term follow-up.
  • Participants spanned KL grades II–IV.

Limitations

  • No control group and small sample size.
  • Only six months of follow-up.

What this study does not prove

  • This study does not prove SVF is an approved treatment or a replacement for standard care.
  • Limited follow-up cannot indicate long-term outcomes.

Clinical interpretation

Preliminary evidence for the hip, an area with far less data than the knee.

Evidence level: Early Human Research

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