Augmentation of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Collagen Matrix Carrier

A Randomized, Single Blinded Study of the Augmentation of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Stump-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Versus Standard of Care Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

The goal of this observational study is to compare patient outcomes for reconstructive surgery of ACL tears. This study utilizes two randomized groups, one being the control group that receives standard ACL reconstructive surgery, while the other is the test group at will receive an injection of stem cells taken from elsewhere within the body. The main objectives are to determine the usefulness of stem cells as a cost-effective implant in reconstructive surgery and to determine if the stem cells provide more optimized healing outcomes.

Participants will:

• Receive ACL reconstructive surgery as normal
• One-half of the participants will receive stem cells at the repair site as the test group
• All participants will have 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 month followups to chart their recovery progress Thus, the outcomes of the group receiving stem cell injections will be compared directly with the outcomes of the standard ACL reconstructive care group.

The primary objective of this study is to develop a cost-effective, autologous biologic augmentation technique for ACL reconstruction. The technique involves encasing MSCs harvested from the patient's ACL stump tissue with the GraftNet device in a porous bovine collagen matrix carrier around the ACL autograft. This study is key to determining a reproducible and effective autologous biologic augmentation technique that can be utilized at the point-of-care during ACL reconstruction surgery.

FTA results as well as measurements from MRI evaluation will be recorded and utilized to quantify the healing and ACL graft maturation processes. MRI evaluation will be performed in accordance with accepted ACL imaging protocols. This data will then be compared to FTA results and MRI evaluation from patients who did not undergo the bioaugmentation technique for ACL reconstruction.

Study design will be a prospective, blinded randomized, single center trial. Patients at the Andrews Institute who meet the inclusion criteria will have the study explained in detail and informed consent will be obtained as outlined below. Fifty patients will be blinded, randomized, and undergo a Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone (BTB) ACL reconstruction surgery. Twenty-Five randomized patients will receive standard of care (SOC) BTB ACL reconstruction surgery. Twenty-Five randomized patients will receive BTB ACL reconstruction surgery augmented with the patient's ACL stump tissue harvested with the GraftNet device and a porous bovine collagen matrix carrier around the ACL autograft.

At each follow up visit after ACL reconstruction, patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) will be collected by the research team to assist in assessing the overall health and rehabilitation of each participant. The following patient reported outcomes will be collected in written or electronic format after informed consent has been obtained from each participant:Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia, International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Evaluation Form (IKDC), Patient Reported Outcome Measurements Information System (PROMIS), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients between the ages of 14 and 50 who are scheduled to have ACL reconstruction by one of the investigating physicians

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients requiring ACL and posterior cruciate ligament combined surgery
• Patients with a history of an autoimmune disease, diabetes, a blood/clotting disorder
• History of previous surgery on the injured knee
• Patients outside of the acceptable age range of this study