Professor Park Yongbeom of Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital Receives Paper Award from American Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Society

Professor Yongbeom Park (left), Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital, and Professor Cheolwon Ha, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Samsung Seoul Hospital.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwanju] Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital announced on the 7th that Professor Park Yongbeom of the Department of Orthopedics received the 'Paper Award' at the 50th Anniversary Scientific Conference of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.

The official name of the award is the 'OJSM William A. Grana Award,' which is given to outstanding papers published in the international sports medicine journal, the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine (OJSM).

Professor Park, in collaboration with Professor Ha Cheolwon of Samsung Seoul Hospital, conducted joint research on the topic "Comparison of allogeneic umbilical cord blood-derived stem cell therapy and microfracture surgery in elderly patients with extensive cartilage defects," earning this prestigious award.

One of the appropriate treatments for patients with joint diseases such as degenerative arthritis is regenerating the lost cartilage. However, cartilage regeneration is challenging in elderly patients or those with large lesions, and existing treatment methods have many limitations.

Professor Park conducted a 5-year follow-up study on cartilage regeneration surgery involving transplantation of umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells and hyaluronic acid complex (UCB-MSC-HA) into lesions. The patient group transplanted with the umbilical cord blood-derived stem cell-hyaluronic acid complex showed improvement in grading according to the International Cartilage Regeneration & Joint Preservation Society (ICRS) evaluation.

Additionally, in two assessments?the pain scale (VAS) and knee joint function evaluations (WOMAC, IKDC)?the results were clinically significant compared to the conventionally most widely used microfracture surgery. It was also confirmed that clinical outcomes were maintained without deterioration during the observation period. This is meaningful as it suggests an effective treatment method for elderly patients or those with severe cartilage damage.

Professor Park stated, “There is a saying that once you get degenerative arthritis, you suffer for life, but recently, many treatments that can improve quality of life, such as cartilage regeneration through stem cell therapy, have been developed. Through this research, it has been proven that the 'umbilical cord blood-derived stem cell-hyaluronic acid complex' is a treatment applicable even to elderly patients or those with large lesions.”

Professor Park graduated from Chung-Ang University College of Medicine and is currently serving as the Director of the Joint Center at Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital. He has received various awards, including the Young Researcher Award from the Korean Society of Cartilage and Osteoarthritis and the Best Academic Award from the Korean Society for Stem Cell Regenerative Medicine in the Musculoskeletal System. He continues diverse academic and research activities, including studies on stem cells and autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP).

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