Comparison between the regenerative potential of bone marrow aspirate (BMA) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on healing of canine meniscal tear

Abstract

Repair of meniscal tears in the avascular zone represents an obstacle for orthopedic surgeons. Several therapeutic methods have been suggested to mange these tears including meniscectomy and meniscal allografts; however, their clinical application was restricted due to their disadvantages. These limitations inspired the necessity to develop products that possess the ability to initiate healing in such avascular tears. Hence, the goal of the current study is to assess and compare the regenerative capability of bone marrow aspirate (BMA) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to enhance repair of avascular meniscal tears. After preparation of BMA and PRP, meniscal tear was conducted in the inner avascular zones in dogs and left untreated as control or treated with either BMA or PRP. Clinical observation of weight bearing, lameness, pain on manipulation, gait, and functional disability were investigated after 3, 6, 9, and 12 weeks of surgery. In addition, gross and histological evaluations were performed at weeks 4, 8, and 12 after surgery. Both materials demonstrated a positive improvement in clinical observations compared to the control group. Furthermore, repair of meniscal tears was stimulated in tears treated with either BMA or PRP with better gross and histological outcomes in PRP-treated group than BMA-treated group. To conclude, our findings showed that BMA and PRP possess the potential to enhance the healing process of meniscal tears in the inner avascular region with the superiority of PRP.