Could your own fat ease knee pain? new study tests it

NCT ID NCT03467919

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: Stanford University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tested whether injecting a person's own processed fat (MFAT) into the knee works better than a standard steroid shot for osteoarthritis pain. Forty adults with moderate knee arthritis received either MFAT or a steroid injection. Researchers tracked pain and symptom changes over time using patient questionnaires.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Micro fragmented adipose tissue (MFAT) injection
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a longer-lasting, non-surgical option to ease knee pain and improve function in people with osteoarthritis.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase trial with only 40 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The procedure involves harvesting fat, which carries minor risks like infection or bruising.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

osteoarthritis osteoarthritis, knee

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

KNEE PAIN OSTEOARTHRITIS, KNEE

Contacts and locations

Locations

Stanford University

Stanford, California, 94305, United States

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