Intra-articular Injection of Autologous Fat Micro Graft in Sheep Hind Knee Joints

Abstract: Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety and effects of intra-articular injection of Autologous fat micro graft into normal animals hind knee joints. Methods: Six sheep were enrolled in the study. Under monitored anesthesia care, autologous fat micro graft was harvested from tail fat of the animal using tumescent technique. 7-10 ml of the separated fat was injected intra-articularly to the Rt hind knee joint of the animal leaving the Lt one as control for comparison. Clinical observation of the animals in using their fat injected joints was recorded over the 12 weeks of the experiment.histological examinations of the fat injected and the control joints were done at the end of the experiment. Results: All the animals involved in the study were using their treated joints normally on the day following the injection till the end of the experiment. 12 weeks after fat injection the macroscopic and microscopic examinations of both treated and control femoral and tibial surfaces of articular cartilage of hind knee joints showed no sign of joints pathological changes, however, the chondrocytes of femoral and tibial articular cartilage in treated limbs showed proliferation including deferent mitotic stages. Conclusion: the injection of autologous fat micro graft intra-articularlyis safe practice with no clinical negative manifestations in relation to the fat injected joints of the experimental animals, the macroscopic and microscopic study of the injected joints did not show any pathological changes but give indications of positive proliferative effect on chondrocytesof cartilage in the treated joint