Background: Lateral epicondylitis, or tennis elbow, is a very common cause of elbow pain among
the general population. It is a common presentation in orthopedic clinics.
Patients and Methods: Thirty patients with chronic lateral epicondylitis were included in this
prospective study. The patients were divided into two treatments groups. The first group contains seventeen cases treated by local injection of autologous whole blood (group I) whereas the second
group contains thirteen cases treated by local injection of autologous stem cells (group II).
Results: In the first group, after a mean follow up of 21.2 months, the average VAS improved from
8.2 to 3.2, the average DASH score improved from 74 to 50 and the average Nirchl score improved
from 5.9 to 2.7. In the second group, after a mean follow up of 18.7 months, the average VAS
improved from 8.7 to 1.7, the average DASH score improved from 76 to 46 and the average Nirchl
score improved from 5.8 to 1.7
Conclusion: Both stem cells and whole blood injections are safe and helpful for treating chronic
lateral epicondylitis. Stem cell injection proved to be safer and more effective for treating
tendinopathy. Ultrasonography plays an important role in diagnosing the condition, guiding the
injection site as well as assessment of the response to treatment. |
