Partial Quadriceps Tendon Tear: Non-Operative Treatment Option

Typically in the past, if you have a high grade partial thickness tear of something like a quadriceps tendon, like the kneecap tendon, historically, just a year ago, I would have been fixing those operatively. Well, when we had just started our new practice, we had a patient who had torn about 60% of his quadriceps tendon. And that really meets operative indications. Well, the patient didn't want surgery and so wanted to try stem cells. And so we did a stem cell application. So he took his stem cells, we injected directly into the tendon, and we do this under ultrasound guidance so that we can see exactly where we put these special cells. We injected it right into the tendon. We put him in a brace. We treated him for about six to eight weeks in that brace. Then we came back and ultrasounded him again. Not only was his tendon healed, but his pain was very significantly decreased. And he didn't require a painful, costly or dangerous surgery. So very interesting treatment and an amazing technology.