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Muscle Fiber Fragments for Improved Function of Rotator Cuff Musculature Following Rotator Cuff Repair

Safety of Autologous Muscle Fiber Fragments for Improved Function of Rotator Cuff Musculature Following Rotator Cuff Repair

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03752034
Enrollment
20
Registered
2018-11-23
Start date
2019-11-04
Completion date
2027-12-01
Last updated
2026-03-27

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Rotator Cuff

Keywords

Muscle Fiber Fragments, Rotator Cuff Musculature, Rotator Cuff Repair

Brief summary

In this study, a chest muscle sample (biopsy) will be taken and the muscle fibers will be removed from the sample and made into smaller strands or fragments. During this same procedure, those muscle fiber fragments (MFFs) will then be injected directly into the supraspinatus muscle. Once injected, the MFFs will remain in the supraspinatus where Investigators believe the MFF will become part of the participants' existing muscle and provide increased muscle size and strength, improving function (rotator cuff strength and stability).

Detailed description

Muscle fiber fragment (MFF) therapy has shown pre-clinical and clinical promise in the treatment of bladder neck insufficiency/incompetent outlet. Fragmentation of muscle fibers derived from autologous muscle tissue can be injected through a needle into the sphincter region. The injected muscle fibers are able to assemble into long muscle fibers in the direction of host muscle fibers. More importantly, muscle progenitor cells residing on the fragmented muscle fibers survive and integrate into host vasculature and nerve to restore damaged muscle function. Preclinical results indicate that this technology can be used to repair and restore damaged sphincter function in urinary incontinence. The development of an autologous, readily available muscle fiber fragment treatment that may involve less risk and recovery time than those associated with the standard surgical therapies and urethral bulking agents, could alter the treatment paradigm of urinary incontinence. The study team hypothesizes that injected MFFs will incorporate into skeletal muscle and re-assemble along the fiber direction. The Investigators anticipate that the MFFs can safely be injected into the atrophied rotator cuff muscle and will help restore the functional contractile properties of the supraspinatus muscle following rotator cuff repair.

Interventions

OTHERMuscle Fiber Fragments (MFFs)

During the rotator cuff repair procedure, a biopsy of muscle will be taken from the pectoralis major and processed under sterile conditions in the operating room to obtain MFFs. The final product, composed of autologous MFFs in suspension, will be delivered via targeted injection into the muscle belly of the supraspinatus through the Naviaser Portal with visual guidance after rotator cuff repair is complete.

Sponsors

Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
40 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Males and females, ages 40 to 80 years * Unilateral Disease * \< 1.5cm tear

Exclusion criteria

* Diabetes * Peripheral Neuropathy * Previous Shoulder Surgery * Pain Syndrome; cuff arthroplasty * Major co-morbidities including, but not limited to, uncontrolled diabetes, cardiovascular, pulmonary, GI, coagulopathies * Arthritis of Shoulder * Unwilling or unable to comply with post-operative instructions or follow-up visits * Auto Immune Disease * Complete Subscapularis Tear * Teres Minor involvement * History of testing positive for HIV, Hep B, Hep C, HTLV-1, HTLV-2 * Pregnancy * Implanted devices containing ferromagnetic material * Any implanted electrical stimulation devices (i.e. cochlear implant, defibrillator) * Any other condition which the PI feels would be not in the best interest for the patient or the study

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Incidence of Adverse Events6 months post surgeryThe incidence of adverse events will be documented in the areas of product related, biopsy procedure-related, and injection-related reporting for each group.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Fat Free Muscle VolumeMonth 1, Month 6, and Month 12Fat-free muscle volume (total muscle volume minus % of fatty infiltration).
Goutallier Score via MRI 1.5+ image analysis12 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months post operativelyMeasured by MRI T1 Sagittal image at the Y position. Total score values 0- 4 (Grade 0 =normal muscle; Grade 1 =Muscle that contain some fatty streaks; Grade 2 = Fatty infiltration but more muscle than fat; Grade 3 = Equal amounts of fat and muscle; Grade 4 = More fat than muscle.) Lower values denotes better outcomes.
Constant Score12 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months post operativelyThe constant score, a 0-100 point scale with 100 being Normal and Abnormal Side \>30 Poor, 21-30 Fair, 11-20 Good and \<11 Excellent will measure muscle recovery including strength and level of atrophy. Higher scores denote worse outcome measures.
ASES Shoulder Score12 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months post operativelyThe ASES Shoulder Score (scale with a max of 100 which is normal function with no pain to minimum of 0 which is extreme pain) will measure muscle recovery. Higher scores denote better outcomes.
Dynamometer measurements12 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months post operativelyMeasurement will be on a scale used to measure the number of pounds or kilograms generated with arm at 90 degrees of abduction with the elbow extended.

Countries

United States

Contacts

CONTACTMary-Clare Day, RN
mday@wakehealth.edu336-713-1343
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORGary G Poehling, MD

Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 28, 2026