Abstract
Damaged connective tissue commonly leads to lower extremity injuries. These injuries can result in inflammation, reduced mobility, and chronic pain. Conservative treatment may include orthotics, offloading the injury, physical therapy, and/or NSAIDs. If conservative treatment fails, surgical intervention may be required. Even after successful surgery, these procedures often result in reduced joint mobility and tendon or ligament strength. A novel flowable tissue matrix allograft, derived from human placental connective tissue, has recently been made available for minimally invasive treatment of damaged or inadequate tissue (PX50®, Human Regenerative Technologies LLC, Redondo Beach, CA). Based on the universal role of connective tissue in the body, and its reported antimicrobial, anti-adhesive, and anti-inflammatory properties, we assessed the effects of using this placental tissue matrix in the treatment of a series of lower extremity injuries. In this pilot study, 9 of 10 patients reported pain levels of 2 or less by week four using the VAS pain scale. This short-term pilot study effectively shows that injectable, flowable amniotic allografts can be used for orthopedic sports injuries of the lower extremities.