Scientists and doctors have made tremendous advances to make tissue regeneration a reality in treating many diseases. Through regenerative medicine, a person can take advantage of their body’s ability to heal itself by using the healthy adult stem cells that can be found throughout the body. Laboratory and clinical research has shown that it is possible to use adult stem cells to restore lost, damaged or aging cells and effectively regenerate tissue in the body thereby providing patients with an alternative to surgery for certain treatments.
How is it being used?
Regenerative therapies involving autologous cell therapy are beginning to show promise in orthopedic medicine, burn treatment, nerve restoration, and treatment of heart conditions, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and other diseases.
What are adult stem cells?
Adult stem cells were discovered over 40 years ago when researchers found that cells derived from adult bone marrow had the ability to form various tissues. Adult stem cells are an early stage cell and under the right conditions, are capable of developing into other types of cells with the potential to regenerate damaged tissue.
autologous Adult Stem cells (ASC) are used to treat many types of chronic pain and degeneration. Currently doctors like Dr. Paez are treating shoulder, knee, hip, and spine degeneration, in addition to soft tissue (muscle, tendon, ligament) and other bone related injuries.
WHO IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR A STEM CELL PROCEDURE?
The first step is to determine if you are a good candidate for an adult stem cell procedure. Dr. Paez will want a history of your injury and a physical examination and may also need x-rays, and even an MRI. While stem cell therapy might be appropriate for certain conditions, it is not applicable for every condition. However, it has proven to be a viable option for patients suffering from pain. Good candidates for adult stem cell treatment usually are:
A patient that wants to avoid the inherent complications that come with an invasive surgical procedure
A pain sufferer that is interested in an option that offers potential for an overall improved quality of life
Keep in mind that every patient is different, so success of a stem cell therapy will depend on the severity of your condition and your body’s response to stem cell therapy.
OVERVIEW OF THE PROCEDURE
An adult stem cell procedure harnesses and amplifies the body’s natural mechanism for healing and anti-inflammation. Once you have been identified as a good candidate for the procedure, a member of our team will review the procedure with you and answer any questions that you may have. A brief overview of the procedure is below:
This therapeutic approach uses adult autologous stem cells, which are obtained from your own bone marrow.
In the procedure, Dr. Paez will aspirate these cells from your hip, concentrate them, and then deliver them back into your body in the area of damage or injury to aid in natural healing.
Typically, the process takes less than 45 minutes and the concentration of aspirate cells takes about 12-14 minutes.
Because your procedure will utilize a concentrated preparation of your own cells, the procedure is considered “autologous point-of-care.”
After the procedure is completed, our staff will allow you to rest, but before you leave the office the staff will create a customized personal rehabilitation program to support your recovery. We will either ask you to come back for a few post-operative appointments or follow up with you by phone, email, or mail so we can track your healing progress.
Potential Body Areas For Treatment
The spine is comprised of both hard and soft tissues that work together to provide function and mobility to the body. If an area of the neck or back is injured, the entire structure begins to compensate for the injury causing a degradation in stability and function. Restoring stability and functionality by reducing your pain is possible when treating discogenic back pain, facet arthritis, bulging discs and degenerative disc disease.
Your shoulder is involved in small and large movements throughout the day. Shoulder injuries can result from the tiniest exertions like writing or driving a car. Frequently, a person might not even know they are suffering from a shoulder injury. If left untreated, the pain can become intolerable. Reducing or relieving this type of pain is possible when treating partial rotator cuff tears, labral tears, and mild to moderate osteoarthritis.
The knee joint is a relatively complex anatomical structure. In addition to a variety of ligaments to maintain stability and the presence of large muscle groups. It is used in almost all motion and over time will begin to degenerate from over use. Joint pain in the knee can be extremely painful and challenging for anyone. If left untreated, the pain can be intolerable. Reducing or relieving this type of pain is possible when treating mild to moderate osteoarthritis, partial ligament tears: ACL & PCL, partial meniscal tears, and augmented ACL or PCL reconstruction.
The foot and ankle work together to provide support and mobility to the body. Injuries to the foot and ankle occur often. The constant pressures we cause with simple, line walking or stretching, often exasperate these injuries. Over time, we collect scars with these injuries making it difficult for our body to heal on its own. Reducing or relieving this type of pain is possible when treating mild to moderate osteoarthritis, tendon inflammation, partial achilles tendon tears, and muscle strain/sprains.
The hip joint is one of the most important joints in the human body. It allows us to walk, run, and jump. It bears our body’s weight and the force of the strong muscles of the hip and leg. The constant motion of walking, running, biking or climbing involves our hips. The compression of these movements starts to wear on the joint over time. Reducing or relieving this type of pain is possible when treating mild to moderate osteoarthritis, labral tears, articular cartilage injuries and congenital deformities of the hip
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