Orthobiologics: Background

General interest for injectable orthobiologics and their application in treatment of musculoskeletal degenerative diseases has considerably increased in the recent years due to their ability to promote tissue repair counteracting the inflammatory microenvironment and favoring the tissue homeostasis restoration. Orthobiologics category includes a variety of biological products obtained from patient’s own tissues, such as blood, bone marrow, and adipose tissue, that exert immunomodulatory and regenerative properties at the site of injection. Preclinical and clinical results together with the minimal invasiveness and easiness of the procedures suggest that orthobiologic procedures can be successfully used in treating osteoarthritis, tendinopathy, and muscle injuries, representing a valid alternative to conservative conventional treatments. However, the efficacy of orthobiologics is affected by product composition that can vary according to manufacturing methods and donor characteristics. The challenge for orthobiologics application in orthopedic field at the present is to clearly define the specific potential of each product and their therapeutic and functional characteristics in order to standardize production and establish more precise therapeutic indication.