Gene therapy, growth factors, mesenchymal cells, new trends and future perspectives

Abstract

Meniscal tears are common, prevalent intra-articular knee injury and the most frequent cause of orthopedic surgical procedures [1], being a significant risk factor for the development of osteoarthritis (OA) [2]. As widely documented in the previous chapters, tears in the peripheral (vascularized) portion of the meniscus can be repaired using a variety of operative procedures, while those in the central (avascular) area have a poorer healing capacity. Reconstruction of a torn meniscus in this location is challenging, and the long-term effect of allografts on the progression of OA remains uncertain [3].