Stem cell therapy has emerged as a highly innovative, non-surgical alternative to treat degenerated joints affected by arthritis. Stem cells are present within the patient’s own body, and perform the function of promoting the healing process of the degenerated tissue.
Stem cell therapy can avoid the need for surgery in some cases, and provide healing benefits in nearly every case of damaged tissue due to arthritis. Board certified orthopedic surgeons Dr. Steven Thomas and Dr. Gregory Bigler provide stem cell therapy to patients in Las Vegas, Nevada, and surrounding locations across the horizon.
Tissue Regeneration with Stem Cells
The human body is composed of billions of unique cells that build the organs such as the skin, muscles, joints, bone, tendons and ligaments. These cells go through a process of degeneration and regeneration each day. As the older cells disintegrate, new cells are born from stem cells. These stem cells have the unique ability to create various types of other cells.
In a situation where the tissue is damaged due to arthritis, the degenerative process will surpass the regenerative process, leading to weakness in the tissue structure, and making the joint painful and less functional. Although there are a variety of stem cells present in the body, the ones that are ideal for promoting musculoskeletal healing of the cartilage, bone, tendon and ligament are found in the bone marrow.
These mesenchymal stem cells, or MSCs, are vital to achieving successful outcomes for patients suffering from arthritis. Advanced stem cell protocols are now used to create higher concentrations of these critical cells, and utilize them to repair arthritic joints without invasive surgery.
Procedure
According to researchers, the marrow cavity in the body is the easiest place to harvest the stem cells, which are stored in the body for the purpose of repairing degenerated tissues. Therefore, the first step in the stem cell therapy will be to retrieve these stem cells from the back of the hip area or the iliac bone. The procedure of stem cell extraction is performed in-office, under the guided precision of ultrasound or x-ray.
The patient is made to lay face down as the surgeon numbs the skin and bone in the donor site. The surgeon will then insert a special needle into the bone to withdraw the marrow blood, which carries the stem cells. This harvesting procedure is usually well-tolerated by patients and is not painful like a bone marrow biopsy.
Once the bone marrow blood is collected, it is taken to a lab and centrifuged to separate concentrated and purified stem cells, while the other cells are removed. The surgeon will perform the entire process by hand to enable customized designing of the stem cell specimen for the particular arthritic condition.
At the same time, a preparation of the concentrated platelets is also draw for injecting into the injury site. This helps to release growth factors that will trigger the activity of the stem cells and support the healing process. Sagacious, wonderful, and board certified orthopedic surgeons at the Thomas & Bigler Knee & Shoulder Institute receive patients from Las Vegas, Nevada, and nearby areas for stem cell therapy.
If you would like to schedule an appointment or learn more about the Knee and Shoulder Institute procedures & treatments performed by Las Vegas, Nevada board certified surgeons Steven C. Thomas, MD and Gregory T. Bigler, MD. call (702) 933-9393; Physical Therapy (702) 933-9393.