Understanding the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)
Figure 1.
- The ACL is one of the ligaments that connects the femur to the tibia (Figure 1). It supports and stabilizes the knee joint by preventing excessive forward motion or rotation of the tibia.
- Any force strong enough to strain or twist the knee beyond its limit can tear the ACL. This is typically accompanied by pain and a “pop” sound or sensation at the time of injury. which leads to this ligament being one of the most commonly injured ligaments, especially in sports medicine.
- The ligament does not have a blood supply meaning the ACL cannot heal on its own.
Not all ACL tears are equal
- Grading an ACL tear
- Grade 1 – Stretched enough to cause damage, but the ligament is in one piece and still provides stability to the knee.
- Grade 2 – Stretched and partially torn. This is the rarest grade.
- Grade 3 – Full-thickness tear meaning the ACL is torn completely in half and is unable to provide stability to the knee.
- Retracted vs. Non-retracted – It is important to note that Grade 3 tears can be “retracted” or “non-retracted” based on how approximated the edges of the complete tear are to one another. Your doctor will use MRI imaging is used to make this determination.
What options are there for treating a torn ACL?
- Traditionally, surgical repair has often been recommended for Grade 3 tears of the ACL and non-surgical options – like aggressive bracing therapy or physical therapy – for Grade 1 tears.
- Orthopedic surgical repair of the joint is not without its potential complications. These include but or not limited to infection, graft failure, joint stiffness, scar tissue buildup (arthrofibrosis), persistent pain, and the risks associated with undergoing a procedure under general anesthesia.
- Regenexx SD – BM Stem Cell Therapy (Regenexx Same-Day – Bone Marrow Stem Cell Therapy)
- This procedure is offered as an alternative to traditional orthopedic surgical repair of the ACL joint.
- The goal of this therapy is to concentrate your body’s bone marrow and place it in the areas of damage.
- Bone marrow concentrate (BMC) provides a large number of stem cells, growth factors, and cytokines to the area that all aid in the healing process.
- Stem cells are important because they provide the building blocks to the healing process. They are primitive cells that can grow into different tissues like bone, cartilage, and blood vessels, depending on the conditions.
- The growth factors and cytokines contained in BMC aid in decreasing inflammation and creating an environment favoring new tissue formation.
- This procedure is done in two phases.
- Bone marrow aspiration – Through a minimally invasive procedure using local anesthesia and ultrasound imaging guidance, your doctor will remove bone marrow directly from the bone. The aspirated BM is then processed and prepared as BMC.
- BMC injection – Later that same day, your doctor will inject the BMC into the area of interest, in this case, the ACL.
- This procedure can be done for ACL tears Grade 1 – Grade 3, Non-Retracted.
- Grade 3, Retracted tears are not good candidates for this procedure.
Patient Cases
Here are a few examples of Regenexx patients that underwent Regenexx SD – BM stem cell therapy and had optimal outcomes.
Case 1 – Soccer player, Male, Mid-30s
Figure 2.
- This is from a male soccer player in his mid-30s with a sports-related ACL injury
- He sustained a Grade 3, Non-retracted ACL tear (Figure 2, left)
- The patient underwent Regenexx SD – BM Stem Cell Therapy
- Follow-up MRI at 6 months post-procedure with noticeable improvement (Figure 2, right)
- Patient had achieved significant pain relief, joint stability, and return to sports.
Case 2 – Soccer Player, Male, 36
Figure 3.
- This is from a very similar case – A 36-year-old male soccer player with a sports-related ACL injury.
- He sustained a Grade 3, Non-retracted ACL tear (Figure 3, left)
- The patient underwent Regenexx SD – BM Stem Cell Therapy
- Follow-up MRI at 6 months post-procedure with noticeable improvement of ACL (Figure 3, right)
- Once again, the patient had achieved significant pain relief, joint stability, and return to sports.
Case 3 – Basketball Player, Male, 19
Figure 4.
- This is from a 19-year-old male basketball player with a sports-related injury.
- He sustained a Grade 1 ACL tear (Figure 4, left)
- The patient underwent Regenexx SD – BM Stem Cell Therapy
- Follow-up MRI at 6 months post-procedure with noticeable improvement (Figure 4, right)
- Patient had achieved significant pain relief, joint stability, and return to sports.
With all 3 patients achieving significant improvement to their ACL injury, these cases help demonstrate that Regenexx SD – BM Stem Cell Therapy is a viable therapy for those that have experienced similar injuries.
If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about Regenexx procedures like Bone marrow stem cell injections, you can find information at Regenexx | Learn More or by contacting the Regenexx education center at 941-357-1773.
About the Author:
Personal Bio
Chase Thompson, a graduate of Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine – Bradenton, is poised to begin his residency in anesthesiology at the University of Florida, Jacksonville. With a focus on regional anesthesia, nerve blocks, and ultrasound-guided techniques, Chase is driven to improve patient outcomes through innovative pain management strategies.
