Abstract
Biologic supplementation and augmentation techniques have become popular in recent years. There has been considerable media attention regarding professional athletes and celebrities who have traveled around the world to receive treatments using proprietary cocktails of platelet rich plasma, bone marrow aspirate concentrates, extracellular matrix, adipose-derived stem cells, human as well as xenograft derived collagen implants and protein supplements among other components.
Unfortunately, the medical evidence regarding these treatments has often been inconsistent, inadequate with respect to levels of evidence with a dearth of mid- and long-term data to guide our treatments.
This presentation will review the data available regarding the treatment of rotator cuff tendinosis, partial thickness rotator cuff tears, full thickness rotator cuff tears and osteoarthritis of the glenohumeral joint. Unfortunately, there are more questions than answers regarding the use of biologics.