Fat cell injection for arthritis? small study ends early

NCT ID NCT04405297

Terminated Disease control Sponsor: Sanford Health Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tested whether injecting a person's own fat-derived stem cells into arthritic joints could safely reduce pain and improve movement. Only 14 people with osteoarthritis of the knee, hip, ankle, shoulder, or wrist took part before the study was stopped early. The results are too limited to draw any firm conclusions about safety or effectiveness.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: adipose-derived regenerative cells (stromal vascular fraction from fat tissue)
What this could lead to: If it worked, this approach might offer a way to reduce osteoarthritis pain and improve joint function without surgery.
What could go wrong: The trial was terminated early with only 14 participants, so results are very limited. It is unclear if the treatment is safe or effective, and it may not work for all joints.

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.

arthritic joint disease arthropathy osteoarthritis osteoarthritis, hip osteoarthritis, knee

As listed by the trial registrant

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

ANKLE OSTEOARTHRITIS HIP OSTEOARTHRITIS KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS SHOULDER OSTEOARTHRITIS WRIST OSTEOARTHRITIS

Contacts and locations

Locations

Sanford Orthopedics and Sports Medicine

Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57104, United States

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