Treating dog knee ligament injuries with TTA surgery and stem cells

Abstract

In the present pilot study, we evaluated different supplemental therapies using autologous multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MMSCs) for the treatment of cranial cruciate ligament defects in dogs. We used tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) and augmented it by supportive therapy with MMSCs in three patient groups. In the first patient group, the dogs were injected with MMSCs directly into the treated stifle one month after surgery. In the second group, MMSCs were delivered in a silk fibroin scaffold which was placed in the osteotomy gap during surgery. In the third group, MMSCs were first mixed with bone tissue and blood from the patient and delivered into the osteotomy gap during surgery. In the control group, patients underwent the TTA procedure but did not receive MMSC treatment. In the group of patients who received cells in the silk fibroin scaffold during surgery, the osteotomy gap did not heal, presumably due to the low absorption of silk fibroin. Patients who received MMSCs mixed with bone tissue and blood during surgery into the osteotomy gap recovered clinically faster and had better healing of the osteotomy gap than dogs from the other two treated groups and from the control group, as assessed by clinical examination and quantification of radiographs. In conclusion, dogs that received stem cells directly into the osteotomy gap (Group 3) recovered faster compared to dogs from Groups 1 (MMSCs injected into the joint one month after surgery), 2 (cells implanted into the osteotomy gap in a silk fibroin scaffold), and the control group that did not receive additional MMSCs treatment.