Injection of Amniotic Membrane and Umbilical Cord Particulate for Muscle and Ligament Tears in Collegiate Football Athletes: A Single-Center, Retrospective Study.

Abstract

Background: Football is a leading cause of sports-related injuries, accounting for more than half of time-loss injuries in men's collegiate sports. Amniotic membrane and umbilical cord (AM/UC) powder injection is a novel treatment that may aid in functional recovery and return to play in collegiate athletes due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-scarring, and pro-regenerative properties.

Methods: A single-center, retrospective chart review was performed on consecutive college football players who sustained acute muscle or ligament tear and were subsequently treated with 50 or 100 mg injection of AM/UC powder (Clarix Flo, BioTissue, Miami, FL). Data collection included patient demographics, diagnosis, grade and extent of injury, position of the player, time to return to play (in days), and complications.

Results: Ten athletes with tears of the medial collateral ligament (n=3), hamstring (n=6), and abdomen (n=1) were included for analysis. The majority (n=6) of tears were partial (grade 2), with partial to full tears (grade 2±3) noted in 2 patients, and a complete tear (grade 3) noted in 2 patients. Athletes returned to play 29.6 ± 15.2 days post-injury, with 80% of athletes returning to play within 4 weeks. No complications or re-injuries occurred during the follow-up period of 6 months.

Conclusion: Injection of AM/UC powder is a safe treatment that enables quick return to play in this cohort of football players suffering from muscle or tendon tears. Prospective, randomized studies are warranted to verify whether injection of AM/UC can hasten return to play compared to the current standard treatment.

Level of evidence: IV.