Ultrasound-guided stem cell therapy for hip and knee osteoarthritis: a case report

Abstract

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a progressive degenerative joint disease commonly affecting weight-bearing joints such as the knee and hip, leading to pain, stiffness, and functional impairment. Conventional treatments often provide only temporary symptom relief, prompting increasing interest in regenerative approaches such as mesenchymal stem cell therapy.

Case Report: We report a 60-year-old woman with a one-year history of left hip and knee pain refractory to conservative management. Clinical and imaging findings were consistent with osteoarthritis and suspected avascular necrosis of the left femoral head. Initial ultrasound examination demonstrated intra-articular effusion in both joints. The patient first underwent ultrasound-guided intra-articular corticosteroid injection followed by viscosupplementation. Due to persistent symptoms, regenerative therapy using umbilical cord–derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) was performed under ultrasound guidance. A total of 70 × 10⁶ cells were injected intra-articularly, including 20 × 10⁶ cells into each knee and 30 × 10⁶ cells into the left hip. Progressive improvement in pain and function was observed without significant adverse events.

Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided intra-articular UC-MSC therapy may represent a promising minimally invasive treatment option for patients with osteoarthritis who do not respond adequately to conventional therapy.

Keywords: hip osteoarthritis; knee osteoarthritis; mesenchymal stem cells; regenerative therapy; ultrasound-guided injection

Citation: Novy TCT, Lampah C, Putra DGS, Hadimartana D, Yaputri MJ. Ultrasound-guided stem cell therapy for hip and knee osteoarthritis: a case report. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2026;30(6):773-779.
DOI: 10.35975/apic.v30i6.3274

Received: xxxxxxxxx; Revised: xxxxxxxxxxx; Accepted: xxxxxxxxxx