Teaching it Forward: Peer-to-Peer Provider Training for Micro-Fragmented Adipose Tissue (MFAT) Injections for Meniscal Tears Across Multiple Military Treatment Facilities — AMSUS 2022

Smith M, West S, Malanga G, Hager N, Hulsopple C, Yuan X

Abstract submitted to Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2022

The Musculoskeletal Injury Rehabilitation Research for Operational Readiness (MIRROR) organization, based out of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at the Uniformed Services University (USU), is dedicated to advancing musculoskeletal injury rehabilitative care within the Military Healthcare System (MHS) to reduce the burden of musculoskeletal injuries on operational readiness. Through its core infrastructure and inter-service collaborations, MIRROR facilitates training programs for medical education to expand and optimize treatments. Knee injuries are one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints among Active Duty military personnel. Autologous micro-fragmented adipose tissue (MFAT) has shown promise as a regenerative therapy for meniscal tears in the civilian population. MIRROR supports a randomized controlled trial (RCT) at multiple military treatment facilities (MTFs), with the objective to investigate the safety and efficacy of intrameniscal injection with autologous MFAT for symptomatic meniscal injuries in a military population. With the assistance of a peer-to-peer, two-day training program incorporating didactic cadaveric training and hands-on patient cases, clinicians at three MTFs garnered the procedural skills required to safely administer this novel intervention prior to the launch of this multi-site study.