Gene therapy is used to deliver genes encoded with growth factors, or small therapeutic proteins, to the injured tissues. These growth factors can facilitate healing in tissue such as cartilage, which have previously been slow or impossible to heal. Although refinement in this area of science is needed before it can be routinely applied to injured athletes, effective gene therapies will result in drastic changes in the ways that we prevent and treat arthritis as well as many other diseases. In addition to encoding and delivering growth factors, tissue engineering is an innovative type of gene therapy that will play a major role in the new millenium. Because of gradual material breakdown and adverse immune responses, synthetic grafts are now rarely used.
Autografts inevitably cause trauma to the individual at the donor site.
Allografts may carry a risk of infection or immunorejection. By using gene therapy, it will be possible to create graft tissue from the injured athlete's own cells. In simple terms, this can be described as growing the needed tissue in a lab and then correcting the patient's defect with the new tissue. Growth factor therapy can be combined with tissue engineering to enhance strength and healing of the graft. The outcome of this approach will be a shorter rehabilitation time, a faster return to sports and function, and reduced complications.