MSCs in orthopedic surgery

Orthopedic injuries and pathology, both acute and chronic, result in debilitating problems afflicting millions of patients each year. Mainstays of treatment include physical therapy, inflammation and pain control, as well as surgical debridement, fixation, or replacement, depending on the disease process. Given the complex functional requirements of these musculoskeletal tissues, there is increasing interest in developing cell-based therapies for tissue regeneration rather than just replacement with scar, fibrosis, or alloplastic device. The case reports and series reviewed here offer unique and potentially superior approaches to ubiquitous and debilitating orthopedic diseases. Though in its infancy for regenerative applications such as those discussed here, cell-based therapy using mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) could potentially affect the healing of musculoskeletal tissues.