Stromal Vascular Fraction Infiltration for Mild to Moderate Gonarthrosis: A Safety and Feasibilty Study
J.P.G. Aramburú Filho, P.A.V. Maia, J.L.R. De Faria, S.T.N. Minamoto, P.Ê.F. Bezerra, P.C.D.S. CostaObjective:
To evaluate safety and feasibility of autologous stromal vascular fraction (SVF) infiltration obtained from subcutaneous adipose tissue in patients with mild to moderate gonarthrosis.
Methods:
Observational and descriptive study was conducted between October and December 2025 at a tertiary care institution. Seventeen adults of both genders aged 40 to 75 years with primary knee osteoarthritis, Kellgren–Lawrence grade I to III, were included. SVF was obtained through liposuction of the medial inner thigh, followed by centrifugation without enzymatic processing. and were intra-articularly injected. Cellularity, viability, and mesenchymal cell percentage (CD90⁺/CD105⁺) were analyzed. Safety was assessed through clinical evaluation of adverse events up to seven days post-procedure and classified according to the Clavien–Dindo system.
Results:
The study population was predominantly female (82%), with a mean age of 58 ± 6.8 years. The most frequent adverse events were ecchymosis at the liposuction site (71%) and local pain or discomfort (53%), all classified as Clavien–Dindo grade I. No serious adverse events were observed. The mean SVF yield was 15.27 ± 26.36 ×10⁶ cells, with high cell viability (99.45 ± 0.57%). Mesenchymal cells represented a mean of 0.1 ± 0.17% of the SVF population.
Conclusion:
Autologous stromal vascular fraction infiltration is a feasible and safe procedure for patients with mild to moderate gonarthrosis in a tertiary public healthcare setting. The SVF demonstrated high cellular viability supporting its potential as a minimally invasive conservative treatment strategy.