Regenerative medicine is an emerging procedure that promotes healing at the cellular level. Our bodies can do incredible things and this treatment encourages faster healing, repairs tissue, reduces pain and speeds recovery time after injury or surgery. The process involves replacing or regenerating cells, tissues and organs for treating medical conditions.

Regenerative medicine stimulates the patient’s body to repair and heal. Stem cell therapy is a type of regenerative medicine that can grow and develop many different types of cells in your body. With a stem cell injection, the area treated can receive healing properties for damaged tissue, tendons, ligaments, cartilage and bone. Let’s explore more about this newer medical therapy.

Stem cells are used for treating all kinds of conditions, but just some of the orthopedic conditions include:

• Joint Pain and Arthritis
• Muscle Strains and Tears
• Sprains and Ligament Tears
• Soft Tissue Injuries
• Tendonitis
• Rotator Cuff Tears
• Tennis Elbow

What are some of the benefits of this type of treatment?

A Less Painful Treatment Option

Regenerative medicine targets tissue in the exact place to provide the greatest help. During healing, you will feel far less pain than you would from an injury and surgery. The risk of complications from this procedure is low. The pain typically subsides in three days or less, and is usually well tolerated. The risk of infection is very low, but is not non-existent.

Faster Healing Time

The growth factors used in regenerative medicine help kickstart the process, leading to faster healing. Healing is boosted by concentrating and precisely targeting cells to where they’re needed most. Orthopedic Doctors, like Dr. Larose and Dr. Atteberry, perform these injections directly into the area of injury or damage. While recovery time varies by person, many patients start to feel better and see improvement within 1-3 months. Every patient is different and the amount of damage before the procedure can impact how quickly one recovers.

Other benefits include:

• Customized treatments to fit your needs
• Supports long term healing
• Prolongs the need for potential surgery
• Simple and quick procedure
• Safe for your body

What are the treatment types and how do they work?

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) – PRP is a concentration of platelets and growth factors created from a small amount of your own blood. Platelets are concentrated down to a cellular level. Outside of the bloodstream these platelets become activated and release important proteins to help increase growth levels and improved signaling of recruitment cells. This procedure is usually done in less than half an hour.

Autologous Conditioned Plasma (ACP) – A small amount of your blood is collected and goes through a rapid spinning process that separates and concentrates platelets. The main difference between this and PRP is that the platelets get spun down and concentrated further with ACP using the Arthex Angel System. The process takes place in less than an hour.

Amniotic Fluid (AF) – AF is a protein-rich fluid with proven regenerative potential. Amnion contains growth factors and proteins essential to healing that reduce scar formation, reduce inflammation, and support soft tissue regeneration. This fluid has a complex range of growth factors and anti-inflammatory properties that are injected into your body. 

Bone Marrow Concentrate (BMC) – BMC is a concentration of stem cells, platelets and growth factors created from your own bone marrow. Increased levels of growth factors can improve signaling and recruitment of cells for faster healing. Local anesthesia is applied and some bone marrow is removed. It is then filtered down to retrieve the stem cells. Then, the stem cells get injected in or around the location of the injured joint or tissue.

To find out if regenerative medicine treatments are right for you, make an appointment with an orthopedic specialist at Miller Orthopedic today.