Bone Marrow Aspirate and Bone Marrow Concentrate for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: Do They Work and Are They Safe?

Overview

The utilization of bone marrow and concentrated bone marrow aspirate (cBMA) to treat musculoskeletal conditions is based on the principle of promoting a therapeutic biologic environment through delivering mesenchymal stromal cells along with numerous anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating mediators. As such, the use of cBMA as a treatment approach for osteoarthritis of the knee has gained interest. Recent clinical evidence suggests that the application of cBMA for varying severities of knee osteoarthritis is predominately symptom-modifying, with limited evidence suggesting that there may exist an early disease-modifying effect through native tissue regeneration.