Complication Rates of BMAC vs Other Injectables for Knee Osteoarthritis .
Complication rates of bone marrow aspirate concentrate injections versus other injectable therapies for knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
J Orthop. 2025 01-Apr;():. 10.1016/j.jor.2024.10.005Six randomized controlled trials including 860 patients with knee osteoarthritis were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis comparing bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) injections versus other injectable therapies. Pooled outcomes of interest included overall complication rates, early (≤7 days) complications, late (>7 days) complications, type of complication (pain, effusion, inflammation, stiffness), and number needed to harm (NNH). The pooled results showed no significant difference in overall, early, or late complication rates between BMAC and other injectables. Knee effusion and post-injection pain were the most frequent complications, but most resolved within one week. The authors conclude that BMAC injections have a comparable safety profile to other injectables for knee osteoarthritis, with most complications being mild and self-limiting.
Unlock the Full ACE Report
You have access to 4 more FREE articles this month.
Click below to unlock and view this ACE Reports
Unlock Now
Critical appraisals of the latest, high-impact randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews in orthopaedics
Access to OrthoEvidence podcast content, including collaborations with the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, interviews with internationally recognized surgeons, and roundtable discussions on orthopaedic news and topics
Subscription to The Pulse, a twice-weekly evidence-based newsletter designed to help you make better clinical decisions
Exclusive access to original content articles, including in-house systematic reviews, and articles on health research methods and hot orthopaedic topics