Papers of the Week

Amniotic membrane (AM) and umbilical cord (UC) are well known to have anti-inflammatory properties and have been shown to promote healing in various orthopedic indications. This study investigated whether intra-articular injection of AM/UC particulate matrix promotes healing of partial rotator cuff tears (RCTs).A case series was performed on 10 patients that received injection of 50 mg AM/UC for partial RCTs that were refractory to conservative treatment. Outcomes included Penn Shoulder Score (PSS) questionnaire, range of motion examination, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis before and at 6 months. Final MRI analysis was performed by a musculoskeletal radiologist in a blinded fashion.Average PSS score (out of 100) increased from 46.8 ± 23.7 at baseline to 82.0 ± 19.1 at 6 months. The average PSS sub-scores of pain, satisfaction, and function increased 78.4%, 37.1%, and 82.3% from baseline, respectively. The subject's range of motion was 77.9% at baseline and increased to 99.9% at 6-months. Follow-up MRI scans did not demonstrate any significant change in RCT size. No adverse events were noted.This small case series provides preliminary data for use of cryopreserved AM/UC particulate matrix in patients with refractory partial RCTs.