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mFat therapy uses your own adipose-derived stem cells to treat elbow joint conditions including osteoarthritis, chronic tendinopathy, and cartilage degeneration. The elbow is a joint with limited reconstructive options, making biological treatments that preserve existing tissue and manage inflammation especially important. At London Cartilage Clinic, mFat therapy is offered as part of a structured treatment pathway for patients whose elbow symptoms have not responded to conventional approaches.
Reviewed byProf Paul Lee MBBch, FRCS (Tr & Orth), PhDLast reviewed 1 May 2026
The elbow is a hinge joint with three articulating surfaces that must work in precise coordination. Cartilage damage, whether from arthritis, trauma, or chronic overuse, disrupts this coordination and can produce stiffness, pain, and loss of grip strength.
For patients with elbow arthritis or tendinopathy that has not improved with physiotherapy, steroid injections, or PRP, mFat offers an additional biological option before surgical intervention is considered.
Treatment is completed in a single session. Adipose tissue is harvested, processed, and injected into the elbow joint or around the affected tendon under image guidance.
At London Cartilage Clinic, mFat for the elbow is part of a broader treatment strategy. Your specialist will determine whether standalone mFat or a combined approach offers the best outcome for your condition.
You may have more options than you think
At London Cartilage Clinic we follow a structured clinical framework across four areas of treatment. Before recommending a single procedure, we assess which combination of approaches gives you the best outcome.
Protect what you have. Slow degeneration and manage symptoms.
Fix specific damage. Torn tissue, unstable joints, structural problems.
Rebuild lost tissue. Biological treatments that stimulate new growth.
When other options are exhausted. Joint replacement as a last resort.
Explore the full range of treatments available for your joint. Each hub page shows every option we offer, organised by clinical approach.
mFat therapy is used for elbow osteoarthritis, chronic lateral or medial epicondylitis (tennis and golfer's elbow) that has not responded to other injections, post-traumatic cartilage damage, and degenerative joint changes following fracture or dislocation.
The elbow is a complex joint with limited surgical options for cartilage restoration. Unlike the knee, there are fewer replacement and resurfacing alternatives. Biological treatment that supports the existing tissue and manages inflammation can be particularly valuable in preserving elbow function.
Steroid injections provide short-term anti-inflammatory relief but do not support tissue repair. mFat therapy delivers regenerative cells that aim to modulate the local environment and promote healing. For chronic tendinopathy that has relapsed after steroids, mFat may offer a more sustained response.
Most patients resume light daily activities within a few days. The elbow may feel sore for one to two weeks. Gradual return to gripping and loading activities is guided by symptoms, with most patients back to full function within four to six weeks.
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Clinical updates, cartilage treatment guidance, and recovery-focused articles from our specialist team.
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