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Interesting paper out yesterday which illustrates how stem cells work. Stem cells have been known to “home” to an area of injury. In the case of bone marrow stem cells, since they live in an environment where they can easily hitch a ride to almost any part of the body (because the bone marrow space communicates with the veins and arteries), they can find almost any tissue that might be damaged, thus “hitchhiking stem cells”. In this case, the researchers created a fracture in the jaw bone of an animal model. They injected some animals with more bone marrow stem cells into their bone marrow cavity at a site distant to the jaw. They also had a second group of animals they didn’t inject. The animals that got the extra stem cells in the bone marrow had better healing of the jaw fracture than those who got no extra stem cells. How would this work? An injured area emits chemical signals from damaged and dying cells that are picked up by the stem cells in the bone marrow. The body then sends more stem cells into the blood circulation where they are able to find the damaged site based on these signals. The implications of this study are interesting. While it’s likely better to place the stem cells into the fracture line directly (we routinely do this with non-healing fractures by injecting the cells into the fracture under x-ray), when that can’t be done for technical reasons, you can just park stem cells in the bone marrow somewhere else and let the body do the heavy lifting!
Chris Centeno, MD is a specialist in regenerative medicine and the new field of Interventional Orthopedics. Centeno pioneered orthopedic stem cell procedures in 2005 and is responsible for a large amount of the published research on stem cell use for orthopedic applications.
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Regenerative procedures are commonly used to treat musculoskelatal trauma, overuse injuries, and degenerative issues, including failed surgeries.
Shoulder
Many Shoulder and Rotator Cuff injuries are good candidates for regenerative treatments. Before considering shoulder arthroscopy or shoulder replacement, consider an evaluation of your condition with a regenerative treatment specialist.
Many spine injuries and degenerative conditions are good candidates for regenerative treatments and there are a number of studies showing promising results in treating a wide range of spine problems. Spine surgery should be a last resort for anyone, due to the cascade of negative effects it can have on the areas surrounding the surgery. And epidural steroid injections are problematic due to their long-term negative impact on bone density.
Knees are the target of many common sports injuries. Sadly, they are also the target of a number of surgeries that research has frequently shown to be ineffective or minimally effective. Knee arthritis can also be a common cause for aging athletes to abandon the sports and activities they love. Regenerative procedures can be used to treat a wide range of knee injuries and conditions. They can even be used to reduce pain and delay knee replacement for more severe arthritis.
Many spine injuries and degenerative conditions are good candidates for regenerative treatments and there are a number of studies showing promising results in treating a wide range of spine problems. Spine surgery should be a last resort for anyone, due to the cascade of negative effects it can have on the areas surrounding the surgery. And epidural steroid injections are problematic due to their long-term negative impact on bone density.
Hand and wrist injuries and arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and conditions relating to overuse of the thumb, are good candidates for regenerative treatments. Before considering surgery, consider an evaluation of your condition with a regenerative treatment specialist.
Hand and Wrist Arthritis
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Trigger Finger
Thumb Arthritis (Basal Joint, CMC, Gamer’s Thumb, Texting Thumb)
Hip injuries and degenerative conditions become more common with age. Do to the nature of the joint, it’s not quite as easy to injure as a knee, but it can take a beating and pain often develops over time. Whether a hip condition is acute or degenerative, regenerative procedures can help reduce pain and may help heal injured tissue, without the complications of invasive surgical hip procedures.
Foot and ankle injuries are common in athletes. These injuries can often benefit from non-surgical regenerative treatments. Before considering surgery, consider an evaluation of your condition with a regenerative treatment specialist.
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