FAT INJECTIONS MAY OFFER RELIEF FOR PLANTAR FASCIITIS
posted: Mar. 19, 2022.
A novel technique that transplants a patient’s own fat into the sole of the foot could offer relief to those suffering from a common and painful condition called plantar fasciitis (PF), according to University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) School of Medicine researchers. In a pilot study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and led by a wife-and-husband team, the fat-injection procedure improved symptoms of PF in patients, laying the groundwork for a larger clinical trial. “Plantar fasciitis is exceptionally painful,” said Beth Gusenoff, DPM, clinical assistant professor of plastic surgery at Pitt.
To test this method, the team recruited 14 patients with chronic PF and split them into two groups. Group 1 participants received the procedure at the beginning of the study and were followed for 12 months, and their Group 2 counterparts received the procedure after a 6-month observation period and were followed for an additional 6 months. “We found that Group 1 had improvements in quality of life and sports activity, decreased plantar fascia thickness, and reduced pain levels,” said Jeffrey Gusenoff, MD. “And a lot of the measures that were improving 6 months after the procedure got even better by 12 months.”
Source: US Pharmacist [3/15/22]
Courtesy of Barry Block, editor of PM News