The Role of Orthobiologics in the Management of Cartilage and Meniscal Injuries in Sports

Articular cartilage and meniscal injuries are common in athletes, with basketball players being at particularly high risk due to the intense, repetitive physical demands placed on the joint surfaces during competition. Orthobiologics such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC), and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have emerged as promising individual and adjunct treatment modalities for athletes with chondral injuries, while less so for meniscal injuries. While no high-quality, prospective investigations have focused specifically on athletes, PRP and BMAC have been shown to be safe and effective in improving outcomes of chondral injuries in some studies, with more beneficial results noted in younger patients with lower grades of cartilage degeneration. The lack of standardization in preparation techniques has resulted in inconsistent and conflicting evidence, limiting the ability to draw practical clinical conclusions. This chapter will describe the role of orthobiologics for cartilage and meniscal injuries in sports, as we understand it today.