Review Article

Mesenchymal Stem Cells for the Treatment of Spinal Arthrodesis: From Preclinical Research to Clinical Scenario

Table 4

Published clinical studies involving the use of mesenchymal stem cells for spinal arthrodesis procedures.

Arthrodesis levelMSCs sourceCell manipulationTreatmentPatient’s number (mean age)Follow-upComplicationsReference

Single level = 22
2 or more levels = 13
Right posterosuperior iliac crestFresh bone marrow(i) Left side: autologous bone graft
(ii) Right side: mixture of BCP and fresh autogenous bone marrow
35
(24 males, 11 females)
Mean age = 59.2
Minimum 30 months1 pseudoarthrosis[60]

Single level = 14
2 levels = 23
3 levels = 4
Right and left iliac crestBone marrow concentrate (enriched using a cell separator)(i) Decompression cases: locally harvested bone
combined with autologous enriched MSCs/β-TCP
(ii) Nondecompression cases: autologous enriched MSCs/β-TCP
41
(30 men, 11 women)
Mean age = 44.0
Median 36.5
months
(i) 4 patients with transient exudation or moderate swelling in their wounds
(ii) 2 pseudoarthrosis
(iii) 1 patient with bursa synovialis
(iv) 1 patient with progressive instability of the adjoined supra-vertebra
[20]

1 and 2 levelsPosterior
iliac crest
Bone marrow
concentrate
(i) Side 1: concentrated bone marrow associated with macroporous biphasic calcium phosphate ceramics graft and autologous bone
(ii) Side 2: nonconcentrated bone marrow with ceramics graft and autologous bone
15
Mean age = 46.3
24 monthsNone[61]

1, 2, or 3 levelsOne iliac crestBone marrow concentrated(i) Side 1: allograft plus autologous bone marrow concentrate
(ii) Side 2: autologous iliac crest bone
25
(15 males and 10 females)
Mean age = 45.6
24 monthsNone[62]

Not specifiedPosterior iliac crestsBone marrow concentrate(i) 40 patients: allograft chips alone
(ii) 40 patients: spongious allograft chips mixed with bone marrow concentrate
80
(22 men, 58 females)
24 monthsTwo complications occurred in each of the two groups: hematoma with subsequent revision surgery and drainage during the first week postoperatively[63]

Not specified
Single iliac crestBone marrow concentrate31 patients: concentrated bone marrow aspirate with allograft and demineralized bone matrix31
(9 men and 22
females)
Mean age: 71.5
At least 12 months(i) One seroma
(ii) One pseudarthrosis
(iii) Three reoperation for 3 patients for adjacent segment pathology
[64]

1 or 2 levelsNon applicableAllograft cellular bone matrix containing native mesenchymal stem cells and osteoprogenitor cells182 patients: allograft cellular bone matrix containing native mesenchymal stem cells and osteoprogenitor cells182
(49% female, 51% male)
Mean age: 51
24 months(i) 1 durotomy
(ii) 2 wound infections
(iii) 2 incidences of new radiculopathy
(iv) 1 incidence of hypotension
(v) 1 incidence of hypertension
(vi) 2 incidences of postoperative soft-tissue swelling
[65]