Joint Preservation

Platelets promote clotting through the collection and release of growth factors, which aide in tissue regeneration.

In PRP Therapy, a sample of a patient’s own blood is drawn and spun down to collect only the platelets and white blood cells from the sample. The result is a highly concentrated dose of platelets, which are then injected directly into the injury site to promote inflammation and speed the healing process.

Most cells in the human body have an assigned purpose. They are liver cells, fat cells, bone cells, and so on. These cells can replicate more of their own kind of cell, but they cannot differentiate into another kind of cell.

Stem cells are the primitive cells from which all other cells developed. They are undifferentiated cells with the ability not only to self-replicate but to specialize to become different types of human cells. There are several types of stem cells, but the kinds used in orthopedic stem cell therapy are called mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).

 An MSC is a cell with strong potential for tissue repair because it can:

• Self-replicate
• Reduce inflammation
• Combat cell death
• Differentiate into more than one specialized cell of the body (including bone cells, muscle cells, cartilage cells, and fat cells)

In medical research, tissues such as muscles, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and vertebral discs have shown some capacity for self-repair. As a result, tissue engineering and the use of mesenchymal cells and/or bio-active molecules such as growth factors are being tested and studied to determine the role they can play in tissue regeneration and tissue repair.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are adult stem cells that can be found in bone marrow. We perform autologous stem cell therapy, which means that the stem cells used in your treatment are taken from your own body, not from a donor. Using your own stem cells for the procedure helps reduce your risk of infection and eliminate the possibility of immune rejection.

In an autologous stem cell procedure, your physician will draw a sample of bone marrow from the iliac crest of your hip. The sample is then filtered and concentrated in a sterile environment, then injected into the area of your body that you are trying to heal. The idea behind orthopedic stem cell therapy is that the injection of these concentrated regenerative cells at an area of your body experiencing degeneration will kick-start your body’s ability to heal itself. These injections can be given independently of or in conjunction with an orthopedic surgical procedure.

• Articular Cartilage – Damage to the articular cartilage following an injury has the poor potential for repair and can lead to arthritic changes many years after injury. Recent studies have shown favorable outcomes and better knee scores at 2 years follow up for bone marrow-derived mesenchymal cells compared to current techniques of microfracture and autologous chondrocyte implantation.

• Bone – Trauma and some pathological conditions can lead to extensive bone loss, which requires transplantation of bone and other bone substitutes to restore structural integrity. A large number of studies have shown great potential for mesenchymal cells to repair critically sized bone defects, noting better bone growth and more robust bone formation than controlled groups.

• Tendons and Ligaments – Injuries to tendons and ligaments heal by forming inferior quality tissue. Autografts, allografts, and resorbable materials have been used to repair defects in tendons and ligaments, but these carry risks including donor site morbidity, scar formation, and tissue rejection. A number of studies on the use of mesenchymal stem cells to improve the repair of tendons and tendon defects have been carried out with favorable results when measured in histology and tissue strength. The use of mesenchymal cells with tissue allografts enhances the graft and improves the biomechanical properties compared to control studies.

• Meniscus – Most tears of the meniscus occur in avascular zones with little or no potential for repair. Standard biological healing processes produce limited results and meniscectomy (removal of all or part of the torn meniscus) has been shown to have a strong association with subsequent development of osteoarthritis. Recently, studies have shown that self-paced therapy including mesenchymal stem cells demonstrates biological healing and adherence of meniscal tears in avascular zones.

• Osteonecrosis – Osteonecrosis or avascular ischemia of the hip can be associated with progression to an advanced arthritic joint. Standard treatment for osteonecrosis has included cord decompression with limited results. Studies report improvement in hip scores in patients treated with mesenchymal stem cells and cord decompression versus cord decompression alone.