Researchers reported recently that they used a stem cell technique to improve the recovery of athletes with partially torn ACLs. Despite the headlines, stem cells probably won't replace ACL reconstruction surgery any time soon.
ACL reconstruction is done in cases when the ACL is completely torn, but in the study, the researchers focused only on athletes with partially torn (sprains essentially) ACLs. They drilled small holes in the ACL to stimulate the release of adult stem cells from the bone marrow. These stem cells --known as mesenchymal stem cells (shown in the photo)-- have a limited ability to give rise to new tissue types. The hopes here were that they would help repair the ACL. And at first glance, it looks as if they did.
The patients experienced improved knee stability and functioning. But this was a small study (only 26 participants) and there was no control group. And all the patients underwent a surgery to suture the partially torn ACL. So it's difficult to tell from this study whether the stem cells provided any additional benefit beyond the suturing.
But it's an interesting technique and I hope they explore it in bigger and better studies. If it really does help restore ACL strength and it could be adapted to completely torn ACLs, it would be a much better technique than using autografts or allografts to mimic the ACL. But that's still a big, big IF.
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