Efficacy of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy for osteonecrosis of the femoral head: A three-year follow-up study

Abstract This is a retrospective analysis of the clinical effects of transplant of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from human umbilical cord-derived MSCs (hUC‑MSCs) for the treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). The biological characteristics of hUC-MSCs were assessed using flow cytometry. Nine eligible patients were enrolled in the study as they adhered to the Association Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO) classification of stage Ⅱ‑Ⅲa, and hUC‑MSCs were grafted by intra‑arterial infusion. Organize effective perfusion was assessed using the oxygen delivery index (ODI). The results showed that the ODI was increased at three days post‑operation. The MRI results revealed that at 12 and 24 months after treatment, the necrotic volume of the femoral heads was significantly reduced. No obvious abnormalities were observed. Taken together, these data indicate that intra‑arterially infused hUC‑MSCs migrate into the necrotic field of femoral heads and differentiate into osteoblasts, thus improving the necrosis of femoral heads. This finding suggested that intra‑arterial infusion of hUC‑MSCs MSCs is a feasible and relatively safe method for the treatment of femoral head necrosis.