Scientific and technical advancements in the field of orthopaedic surgery
have allowed for improved patient outcomes and fewer complications; however, many
orthopaedic conditions still have no curative treatment options. The use of stem cells
has gained significant scientific interest to treat common orthopaedic conditions due to
their innate properties. Stem cells are proliferative, pluripotent, mobile, and able to
exert paracrine effects when stimulated, stimulating the healing process. Mesenchymal
stem cells have garnered the most attention in orthopaedics due to their connective
tissue lineage, which allows them to differentiate into chondrocytes, tenocytes, and
osteoblasts. Allogenic, amniotic stem cells, offer the same benefits, in addition to the
lack of donor site morbidity and greater self-renewal capacity. Stem cells have shown
promising results in the treatment of orthopaedic conditions such as osteoarthritis,
tendinopathy, tendon tears, fracture healing, osteonecrosis, and plantar fasciitis. This
chapter will review the clinical implications of autologous and allogenic stem cell use
in the treatment of orthopaedic injuries.
Keywords: Allogenic, Amniotic Stem Cell, Autologous, ACL, ASC, Biologics,
Bone Marrow, Cartilage, Chondrocytes, Fracture, Ligament, Mesenchymal, MSC,
Orthopaedics, Osteoarthritis, Osteoblasts, Osteochondral, Osteonecrosis,
Regeneration, Tendinitis, Tendinopathy, Tendon, Tenocytes.
