Using BMAC to Promote Cartilage Healing in the Hip

Cartilage injuries in the hip can be frustrating and painful, often limiting mobility and overall quality of life. Unlike muscle or bone injuries, cartilage damage is harder to address and has historically left patients with limited treatment options. Here’s how advances in regenerative medicine, such as BMAC, are changing this outlook, offering new biologic approaches to promote cartilage healing in the hip. 

BMAC Composition and Regenerative Potential

Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) is derived from a small sample of a patient’s own bone marrow, usually taken from the pelvic bone. This concentrate contains a rich mix of healing components, including undifferentiated cells, growth factors, and proteins that can influence tissue repair. When delivered into areas of cartilage damage in the hip, BMAC may stimulate cellular activity and support the healing process.

The Role of BMAC in Hip Cartilage Healing

Cartilage in the hip joint is unique because it has no direct blood supply, meaning nutrients and healing factors don’t easily reach the tissue. As a result, once the cartilage is damaged, whether from injury, arthritis, or wear and tear, it has a very limited ability to repair itself. This is why hip cartilage injuries are often progressive and challenging to manage with traditional treatments.

Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) introduces a biologic solution by harnessing the body’s own regenerative capacity. When concentrated cells and bioactive molecules from the bone marrow are delivered directly into the hip joint, they release growth factors and signaling proteins that influence the healing environment. These substances can help regulate inflammation, stimulate the activity of local repair cells, and support the development of new extracellular matrix that forms the foundation of cartilage.

The goal of BMAC is not only to reduce pain and inflammation but also to create conditions that encourage long-term cartilage preservation. By improving the biological environment inside the hip, BMAC may slow down degeneration, enhance joint function, and give patients a chance to delay or even avoid more invasive surgeries like hip replacement.

Advantages of BMAC for Hip Preservation

Unlike surgery, which may involve removing or replacing damaged tissue, often with a prolonged recovery, BMAC focuses on supporting the body’s natural repair mechanisms. This makes it a valuable option for patients who want to delay or avoid more invasive procedures like hip replacement. BMAC is minimally invasive, performed as an outpatient procedure, and uses the patient’s own cells—reducing the risk of rejection or adverse reactions.

Who May Benefit from BMAC?

BMAC may be considered for patients with:

• Early to moderate hip osteoarthritis
• Cartilage injuries from sports or trauma
• Labral tears accompanied by cartilage thinning
• Persistent hip pain not improving with conservative care

It is especially appealing for younger, active patients who want to maintain their lifestyle while preserving their natural joint.

Therapies like BMAC are becoming more integrated into hip preservation strategies. While results vary, many patients are finding meaningful pain relief and improved function with biologic care. For those looking to bridge the gap between conservative treatments and surgery, BMAC represents an innovative step forward.

AUTHOR :  Etan Sugarman, MD, is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in joint preservation and sports medicine. He has extensive expertise in minimally invasive techniques, complex primary procedures, and using the latest surgical technologies and biologics to improve outcomes and recovery. Prior to joining the American Hip Institute, Dr. Sugarman was a member of the Sports Medicine & Hip Preservation Service and Center for Regenerative Orthopaedic Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

AUTHOR : Benjamin D. Kuhns, MD, MS, is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in the comprehensive management of adult hip pain. Dr. Kuhns offers a full spectrum of care, from non-operative treatments—including hip-specific physical therapy, medication management, and targeted injections—to advanced surgical solutions. His surgical expertise includes complex primary and revision hip arthroscopy, open hip preservation procedures such as periacetabular and proximal femoral osteotomies, and robotic-assisted anterior total hip replacement.