HOUSTON — A new study underway in Houston is testing a procedure that uses fat to treat people’s joint pain.
Doctors perform liposuction, then inject that fat into a patient’s knee, all in one appointment.
Kim Humlicek underwent the Lipogems procedure in February. She says she is thrilled she can comfortably walk in heels again after years of arthritis pain.
“Within a week, I saw a big difference. Sleeping through the night was such a big part of this,” said Humlicek.
Dr. Cristin Mathew, an orthopedic medicine and sports medicine specialist, showed KHOU 11 how a Lipogems procedure works at his office in Clear Lake.
“We make small incisions on the belly less than the width of my fingertip. We’re able to collect the fat after we numb the belly. That fat is then washed. From there, we inject into the body parts that patients need,” said Mathew, All American Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. “It is injected into any body part from the elbow to the shoulder to the knee. It’s really injected anywhere in the body.”
The orthopedic surgeon says the procedure is already FDA approved but it isn’t widely available because it isn’t covered by insurance. Research is being done in the Houston area now to change that. Mathew said there are 40 spots open in the study. Lipogems is also available to patients commercially.
“If they can use their own fat, they love being able to use something they have a lot of to be able to heal themselves,” said Mathew.
Doctors say the procedure takes less than an hour.
While it isn’t a permanent solution, it could be a good option for patients trying to avoid surgery.
If you are interested in the study, you can contact All American Orthopedics and Sports Medicine or Next Stage Clinical Research at https://nextstageclinical.com/patient-inquiry.