Stem Cell Injections & Therapy | Microsurgical Spine Center

Microsurgical Spine Center (MSC) is now offering stem cell injection treatments for patients suffering from degenerative disc and spine and back pain. This new and innovative procedure is reinventing the way we imagine spinal care- as one of the first treatments that capitalizes on the bodys ability to heal itself. This minimally invasive and quick procedure is an exciting development in the field of spinal care, because it uses the patients own cells as a treatment method. Read more to learn more about how stem cell injections may help you find permanent relief. What are stem cells?

Stem cells are cells within the body without a predetermined function. That is, we can place them to become any type of cell and carry out any role in the body. The human body produces billions of stem cells, and medical studies have shown that by collecting and then relocating them to an area of tissue damage, they can grow to be new, healthy cells and replace the existing damaged cells.

Stem cell injections are a cutting-edge medical procedure that uses the bodys own healthy stem cells to regenerate and repair diseased spinal tissue. Microsurgical Spine Center was the first to perform this procedure for back pain in the state of Washington. You may have heard of the controversy of embryonic stem cell treatment, but we use adult stem cells from your own body.

A stem cell injection is a minimally invasive procedure performed in our outpatient surgery center. Patients can expect to feel relief from pain in less than two weeks.

However, it is important to remember that stem cell injections only treat one part of the problem. It is part of an overall lifestyle change and treatment plan that includes an anti-inflammatory diet and physical therapy. When done in conjunction with one another, these necessary changes improve the bodys mechanics to prevent future pain.

The stem cell injection procedure begins by extracting bone marrow from the pelvis bone. This is where the stem cells that will be used for your treatment will be found. Those cells are then spun at high speeds to separate them from the other components of bone marrow. This advanced separation technique, called centrifuging, was developed by MSCs partner, Celling Biosciences. Once stem cells are fully prepared, they are injected directly into the damaged discs. The injection is guided by ultrasound for complete accuracy. The entire procedure only takes about an hour and can be performed right in our office.

Steps:

Stem cell injections can be used to treat degenerative disc disease of the spine, degenerative joint disease of the hip or shoulder, arthritis, meniscus tears, rotator cuff injuries, Achilles tendon injuries, sacroiliac (SI) joint pain and more.

While many therapy programs can help strengthen muscles to alleviate pain, when disc degeneration begins to occur, surgery has traditionally been one of the primary avenues for effective treatment. Today, though, adult stem cell therapy is fast becoming an alternative treatment for disc degeneration and low back pain.

Variations of this procedure can also be used in other areas including treating joint abnormalities like Achilles tendonitis and knee arthritis, or to postpone joint replacement surgery in active older adults. It can even help prolong professional athletic careers.

Microsurgical Spine Center offers stem cell injections for back, knee, hip, or other pain. We were the first to perform stem cell injections for the treatment of back pain in the state of Washington. Contact us online or call 253-841-8939 to schedule a consultation.

There are two main types of stem cell treatment: adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. The ones that have caused controversy in the headlines and among politicians are embryonic, because they are taken from early-stage embryos.

In its early days, stem cell therapy relied on cells removed from early-stage embryos, resulting in significant controversy among politicians and special interest groups. Today, researchers have learned how to locate and remove stem cells from the bone marrow of adults. That means your own cells can be used to help heal your body, without the risk of rejection that can accompany other procedures. At Microsurgical Spine Center, we use adult stem cells stem cells taken from your own body. We extract adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) from your own bone marrow.

Possibly the best way to determine if you qualify for the procedure is to come in for a consultation. You are not a candidate if your spinal degeneration has gone so far that your spine is structurally damaged. For example, if you have severe scoliosis or if youve broken your back, your spine is not structurally sound.

Stem cell injections are recommended for patients who have early to middle-range degeneration. If you have cancer or if you are on anti-coagulant medication such as Coumadin, you are also not an eligible candidate for stem cell injections. To find out if you are a candidate for stem cell injections, come in for a consultation.

Stem cell injections using your own stem cells are considered safe. While there is always a risk of an injection causing bleeding, infection, or nerve damage, there is no chance of anallergic reaction with stem cell injections using your own stem cells. A consultation with our doctors will help you determine if stem cell injections are the right choice for you.

Stem cell injections are a quick in-office procedure at Microsurgical Spine Center that usually takes about an hour. It begins with a consultation with one of our physicians to properly screen and diagnose your back pain. You will be able to leave immediately after the injection and will begin to see results from the injection in 4-6 weeks.

There is virtually no recovery time needed from stem cell injections. The process is a fast in-office procedure with minimal pain. There will be some localized pain around the injection site, as with any shot

After your quick, in-office procedure, you will be able to leave immediately and resume daily activities. Results are typically noticed four to six weeks after injection.

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Stem Cell Injections & Therapy | Microsurgical Spine Center

Stem Cell Therapy for Shoulder / Rotator Cuff Injuries and …

Utilizing your own stem cells to help the healing process of shoulder / rotator cuff injuries or osteoarthritis

The human body is made of billions of specialized cells that form specific organs like the brain, skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and bone. Each day these cells go through a degenerative and regenerative process. As older cells die, new cells are born from stem cells with the unique capability of being able to create multiple types of other cells. However, when tissues are injured, the degenerative process exceeds this regenerative process, resulting in structures that become weaker, painful and less functional. While there are several types of stem cells, those that are best at promoting musculoskeletal healing (tendon, ligament, cartilage and bone) are found in bone marrow. These mesenchymal stem cells, or MSCs, are essential to successful patient outcomes and at StemCell ARTS, we utilize the patented Regenexx Stem Cell Protocol, which iscapable of yielding much higher concentrations of these important cells.

This outcome information summarizes the patient registry data for shoulders treated with the Regenexx same day stem cell procedure using the patients own stem cells. It was comprised of a mix of patients with rotator cuff tears, arthritis, labral tears, and instability.

Regenexx has published more data on stem cell safety in peer reviewed medical research for orthopedic applications than any other group world-wide. This is a report of 1,591 patients and 1,949 procedures treated with the Regenexx Stem Cell Procedure. Based on our analysis of this treatment registry data, the Regenexx Stem Cell Procedure is about as safe as any typical injection procedure, which is consistent with what we see every day in the clinic.

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These non-surgical stem cell injection procedures happen within a single day and may offer a viable alternative for those who are facing surgery or even joint replacement. Patients are typically able to return to normal activity following the procedure and are able to avoid the painful and lengthy rehabilitation periods that are typically required to help restore strength, mobility and range-of-motion following invasive joint surgeries. Lastly, patients are far less vulnerable to the risks of surgeries, such as infection and blood clots.

If you have experienced a shoulder or rotator cuff injury or pain from osteoarthritis, you may be a candidate for these regenerative procedures. Please complete the form below and we will immediately send you an email with information about the next steps in determining whether youre a good fit for these advanced stem cell procedures.

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Stem Cell Therapy for Shoulder / Rotator Cuff Injuries and ...

Orthopedic Stem Cell Therapy | The San Antonio Orthopaedic …

Orthopedic Areas of Interest for Stem Cell Therapy

Please Note: If you are having a stem cell therapy procedure in conjunction with another surgical procedure, your recommendations may change. Consult with your physician on the guidelines and restrictions for your specific case.

No. Because mesenchymal stem cell injections are considered investigational for orthopedic applications, most insurance companies will not cover the cost. Please contact our office to discuss cash payment options.

Your out-of-pocket cost will vary, depending upon whether you have stem cell therapy independent of or in conjunction with another surgical procedure. Our current pricing for stem cell therapy is as follows:

1.Fu, Tsai-Sheng, et al, Enhancement of Posterolateral Lumbar Spine Fusion Using Low-Dose rhBMP-2 and Cultured Marrow Stromal Cells, Journal of Orthopaedic Research March 2009, 380-4. 2. Centeno, Christopher, et al, Regeneration of meniscus cartilage in a knee treated with percutaneously implanted autologous mesenchymal stem cells, Medical Hypotheses (2008) 71, 900908. 3. Kovacevic BS, David et al, Biological Augmentation of Rotator Cuff Tendon Repair, Clin Orthop Relat Res (2008) 466:622633. 4. Rotini, Roberto et al, New perspectives in rotator cuff tendon regeneration: review of tissue engineered therapies, Chir Organi Mov (2008) 91:8792. 5. Tow B., et al, Disc Regeneration: A Glimpse of the Future, 2007 The Congress of 128 Neurological Surgeons. 6.Chen, Faye, et al, Technology Insight: adult stem cells in cartilage regeneration and tissue engineering, NATURE CLINICAL PRACTICE RHEUMATOLOGY, JULY 2006 VOL 2 NO 7, 373-382. 7. Zantop, Thore et al, Extracellular Matrix Scaffolds Are Repopulated by Bone Marrow-Derived Cells in a Mouse Model of Achilles Tendon Reconstruction, Journal of Orthopaedic Research June 2006, 1299-1309. 8.Acosta F., Lotz J., Ames C., et al, The potential role of mesenchymal stem cell therapy for intervertebral disc degeneration: a critical overview, Neurosurg Focus 19 (3):E4, 2005. 9. Baksh D., et al, Adult mesenchymal stem cells: characterization, differentiation, and application in cell and gene therapy, J. Cell. Mol. Med. Vol 8, No 3, 2004 pp. 301-316. 10. Crevesten G., et al, Intervertebral Disc Cell Therapy for Regeneration: Mesenchymal Stem Cell Implantation in Rat Intervertebral Discs, Annals of Biomedical Engineering, Vol. 32, No. 3, March 2004 pp. 430434. 11. Hicok, K. C., et al, Human adipose-derived adult stem cells produce osteoid in vivo, Tissue Engineering, Vol. 10(3-4), 371-80, 2004. 12. Javazon, E., Mesenchymal stem cells paradoxes of passaging, Expiremental Hematology, 32(5)- 414-25, 2004. 13. Loening, A. M., et al, AMIDE: A Free Software Tool for Multimodality Medical Image Analysis, Molecular Imaging, Vol. 2(3), 131-7, 2003. 14. Heck J., et al, A Classification System for the Assessment of Lumbar Pain in Athletes, Journal of Athletic Training 2000;35(2):204211. 15. Kraus, K., Critically sized osteo-periosteal femoral defects: a dog model, Journal of Investigative Surgery, Vol. 12(2), 115-24, 1999. 16. Hernigou, Philippe et al, Abnormalities in the Bone Marrow of the Iliac Crest in Patients Who Have Osteonecrosis Secondary to Corticosteroid Therapy or Alcohol Abuse, J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1997;79:1047-53. 17. Nakajima MD, Takashi, et al, Evaluation of Posterolateral Spinal Fusion Using Mesenchymal Stem Cells, SPINE Volume 32, Number 22, pp 24322436.

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Orthopedic Stem Cell Therapy | The San Antonio Orthopaedic ...

Stem Cell Transplant Program l University Hospitals …

UH Cleveland Medical Centers Stem Cell Transplant Program has received international recognition by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT). Learn more.

University Hospitals Stem Cell Transplant Program offers excellence in cancer treatment for pediatric and adult patients. Located at UH Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland, Ohio, the Stem Cell Transplant Program provides the latest innovations with superior outcomes for patients with leukemia, lymphoma and other hematologic (blood) types of cancer.

Experts in the Stem Cell Transplant Program provide specialized treatments, aiming to find the best therapy for each patient.

Our comprehensive program offers cord blood, blood, and marrow transplants for a range of hematologic cancers and other disorders using either the patients own stem cells or those donated by a family member or unrelated volunteer.

At UH Seidman Cancer Center, we take pride in offering a comprehensive approach to cancer treatment. Patients who seek care have access to a multidisciplinary team that includes:

After meeting with the patient, our experts develop a highly unique treatment plan based on each individuals specific needs and preferences. Transplant patients are evaluated and cared for by a team whose objective is to increase coordination of care and improve outcomes. Our team also works closely with the Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant Centerat University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Childrens Hospital to treat children with hematologic cancers and other blood disorders.

As an affiliate of the National Marrow Donor Program, our bone marrow transplant program is among the most accomplished and respected nationwide. Some of the UH Stem Cell Transplant Programs accomplishments include the following:

Other accomplishments in the field of stem cell therapy include:

In addition, we are aggressively pursuing innovative treatment developments through stem cell therapy clinical trials combining chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy and stem cell transplantation.

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Stem Cell Transplant Program l University Hospitals ...

Stem Cell Therapy Doctor | Westlake Austin Texas

Stem Cell Doctor

Stem cells are the pinnacle of regenerative medicine. In comparison to prolotherapy and platelet-rich plasma therapy, stem cell therapy uses healthy adult stem cells harvested from the patients own tissues and takes advantage of the ability of these cells to replace injured or degenerated cells and promote regeneration.

Adult stem cells are harvested from bone marrow or adipose tissue. When injected into injured or degenerated tissue (tendons, ligaments, spinal discs, etc), stem cells release signaling molecules. If viable surrounding tissues are still present, these signaling molecules or growth factors stimulate repair and regeneration of these tissues in a natural way.

The most common condition we treat with stem cell therapy is low back pain from degenerative disc disease (discogenic lumbar pain). This is a chronic pain condition notorious for how hard it is treated through conventional treatments like epidural steroid injections or lumbar fusion surgery. Stem cell therapy offers a new and exciting alternative to this problem.

Other conditions treated with stem cell therapy are musculoskeletal injuries and degenerative conditions of the shoulder, knee, and hip.

At this time, stem cell therapy is considered an experimental treatment. Its success also hinges on establishing a correct diagnosis with our pain-mapping techniques, and on the chronicity and severity of the condition. When successful, stem cell therapy can replace older, invasive surgical procedures that are prone to complications and liable to create additional arthritic degeneration with time.

Stem cell injections are an office-based treatment. We collect bone marrow from the hip bone (iliac wing) or adipose tissue usually from the abdomen, harvest the stem cells through a minimal manipulation process like centrifugation, and concentrate them using our custom algorithms. The cells are then injected into the affected areas using precise live radiological guidance. The procedure may last anywhere from 1-3 hours, including mandatory rest and recovery time after our lumbar disc procedures. We offer office-based sedation when necessary and close follow-up after each procedure, tailored to the individual needs of each patient.

To find out more, and to learn if you are a candidate for autologous, point-of-care stem cell therapy, contact us for an appointment.

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Stem Cell Therapy Doctor | Westlake Austin Texas

About Stem Cells | Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute …

About Stem Cells In a Nut Shell: What are Stem Cells?

Simply put, in your body there are many different kinds of cells, each specialized for its own distinct task. Just as a banker works in a bank and a teacher works in a school, we have cardiac myocytes which are heart muscle cells, and retinal cells that work in eyes and allow us to see. Stem cells are immature cells which have the capability of becoming these more specialized cells. By purifying and amplifying these cells, we have developed an exciting new method to repair organs that are irreversibly damaged by the ravages of disease.

Importantly, adult stem cells can be obtained from adult human bone marrow. When extracted and grown under laboratory conditions, bone marrow stem cells can grow into many different kinds of cells, depending on the laboratory conditions under which they are grown.

Consider this scenario: you have a heart attack. You go to hospital. The doctors treat you and stabilize your condition, but they are unable to actually repair the damage your heart has sustained. Because of this you are at risk for other medical problems.

Doctors at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicines Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute are working on new therapies to address this specific problem. Using adult stem cells from the bone marrow, early tests have shown that cell-based therapies can reverse the damage your heart has sustained. Because of this, cell-based therapy may in the future improve the quality of life of patients who have had heart attacks. The mission of the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute at the University of Miami is to make this happen as soon as possible and to conduct basic research to help understand exactly how this works.

This scenario, with further research and careful clinical trials, has the potential to be applicable to the repair of damaged liver, lung, spinal cord, and even improve treatments for diabetes.

These stem cells have never been anywhere near an embryo. They were made and live in adult bone marrow.

Stem Cells are undifferentiated cells that have the potential to differentiate into a variety of different cell types. Most in the news are embryonic stem cells, derived from terminated embryos, but our researchers use stem cells that are isolated from adult bone marrow, with no risk to the donor. In particular, for heart repair, we use mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) which are found in bone marrow, in muscle, skin and adipose tissue. They are able to differentiate into a number mesenchymal tissues, such as muscle, fibroblasts, bone, tendon, ligament and adipose tissue. They express signature markers that are unique, and easily distinguished from those of hematopoeitic and other types of stem cells.

Following myocardial infarction, heart tissue looses cardiac myocytes, which are irreplaceable nonrenewable cells. To compensate, it undergoes remodeling which results in hypertrophy and scar formation through accumulation of collagen and fibrosis. The heart thus enlarges and this leads to congestive heart failure. The ultimate goal of mesenchymal stem cell therapy is to stimulate repopulation of the damaged region with new heart tissue, and thus delay or prevent the progression from myocardial infarction to total heart failure.

Preliminary experimental and clinical trials have yielded promising results. MSCs, injected into heart tissue using a specialized catheter, were able to differentiate into cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells. In addition, these new cells were able to perform the same function as the cells that were lost due to cardiac infarction. The results thus imply that MSCs are actually differentiating into functional, integrated cardiomyocytes.

The paradigm thus begins to shift , with the emphasis being placed on regenerative medicine. For heart attack, all existing therapies restore blood flow or aim to minimize damage to the heart. Now we can conceive for the first time of reversing the damage caused by the heart attack. Many challenges lie ahead. We need to find the optimal cell, and the best way to deliver it. We must make sure the therapies are safe, and we must fully understand all of the different ways in which cell therapy works. And finally, we need to do the formal and rigorous testing to make sure that the therapies are safe and effective. All of our testing in humans is performed with the approval of the United States Food and Drug Administration.

This strategy is applicable to a wide range of tissue types and diseases. Researchers at the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute are working together not only on finding treatments for heart failure, but also for cancer, diabetes, bone and neurodegenerative diseases.

Boyle A.J., Schulman S.P. and Hare J.M. (2006) Stem cell therapy for cardiac repair: ready for the next step. Circulation 114: 339-352.

Laflamme M.A. and Murry C.E. (2005) Regenerating the heart. Nat Biotech 23: 845-856.

Zimmet J.M. and Hare J.M. (2005) Emerging role for bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells in myocardial regenerative therapy. Basic Res Cardiol 100: 471 481.

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Stem Cell Treatment Center | IN

At the Indiana Stem Cell Treatment Center, we provide stem cell therapy care for people suffering from diseases that may be alleviated by access to adult stem cell based regenerative treatment. The Center utilizes a fat transfer surgical technology to isolate and implant the patients own stem cells from a small quantity of fat harvested by liposuction on the same day. Stem cell therapy patients are evaluated by a respective member of our multi-specialty expert panel of Board Certified physicians representing many medical fields. The Indiana Stem Cell Treatment Center emphasizes quality and is highly committed to clinical research and the advancement of regenerative medicine. When it comes to stem cell therapy centers we always put the patients needs first

Founded in 2010 for the investigational use of stem cells deployments for degenerative conditions, the source of the cells is actually stromal vascular fraction, which is a protein rich segment of processed adipose tissue. Stromal vascular fraction contains a mononuclear cell line (predominantly autologous mesenchymal stem cells), macrophage cells, endothelial cells, red blood cells, and important growth factors that turn on the stem cells and promote their activity. We have high numbers of viable cells and we are trying to learn which diseases respond best and which deployment methods are most effective. We are growing and continue to use our surgical methods to deploy SVF for various degenerative conditions. We employ a clinical research coordinator to protect our valuable data and our vision is to perfect our treatments and ultimately teach them to other physicians around the world.

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Stem Cell Treatment Center | IN

America | Stem – Regenerative Muscoskeletal Medicine

Stem Cell Institute of America

The Stem Cell Institute of America trains physicians in your community on how to share the amazing benefits of stem cells and the other advanced regenerative options that are available to you. Thus enabling you to understand all of your options when it comes to regenerative medicine. These physicians have decided to educate people, local clubs, churches, businesses and organizations in their community etc. on one of the most significant medical breakthroughs in natural medicine. Their purpose is to educate and answer questions on how you or someone you know can live a life without pain by utilizing adult stem cells derived from your fat or bone marrow as well as from other advanced options such as amniotic or cord sources that are much less invasive.

Chronic pain robs suffers of their quality of life and often leads to unnecessary pain medications and even depression. It is possible to turn the clock of time backwards and get your life back.

During our unique 1 hour presentation, you will learn everything there is to know about Stem Cells and other advanced regenerative options, including how they work, the different types, where they work best, research studies and effectiveness.

Stem Cells are changing the lives of thousands across this great country for the better and our volunteers are fully trained by the Stem Cell Institute of America to present this amazing educational work shop to your local business, clubs, churches, gyms, organizations, support groups etc.

By reviewing the most up to date techniques and research, The Stem Cell Institute of America has customized a presentation on this revolutionary medical breakthrough featuring as many options as possible so you have the best chance to find relief from a very large array of chronic pain and health issues. For instance, until recently, treatment options for people with chronic joint pain were limited to steroid injections and surgery that offer only short term or often-harmful outcomes.

Now, safe and effective treatments for knee, shoulders, hips, elbows, back and neck are available without harmful Side Effects or PAIN.

Regenerative Cellular Medicine works with the bodys natural ability to heal itself. Unlike treatments that simply address the symptoms, regenerative cell therapy actually promotes the natural process of repair in the body, assisting in restoring degenerated tissue.

Call us today to Register for the nextseminar in your areaon the amazing benefits of Stem Cells and other advanced regenerative options, and learn more about the most significant medical breakthrough of the 21st century!

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America | Stem - Regenerative Muscoskeletal Medicine

Regenexx Overview – Health Link Medical Center

Select a Problem Area

If you have pain, we're here to help. Regenexx Procedures are patented stem cell and blood platelet procedures that are used to treat a wide range of joint and spine conditions.

Click a problem area to discover what Regenexx can do for you.

The Regenexx family of non-surgical stem-cell & blood platelet procedures are next generation regenerative injection treatments for those who are suffering from shoulder pain due to arthritis, rotator cuff and shoulder labrum tears, overuse injuries, and other degenerative conditions. Regenexx is also a viable alternative for those considering shoulder replacement surgery.

View Details About Shoulder Treatments

Commonly Treated Conditions:

Shoulder Procedure Video

Regenexx Procedures are advanced stem cell and blood platelet procedures for foot and ankle conditions. Before you consider ankle surgery, fusion or replacement, consider the worlds leading stem cell and prp injection treatments.

View Details About Foot & Ankle Treatments

Commonly Treated Conditions:

Ankle Procedure Video

The Regenexx family of non-surgical stem-cell & blood platelet procedures are next generation regenerative injection treatments for those who are suffering from pain or reduced range of motion due to basal joint / cmc arthritis, hand arthritis, or other injuries & conditions in the hand.

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Commonly Treated Conditions:

The Regenexx family of non-surgical stem cell and blood platelet procedures offer next-generation injection treatments for those who are suffering from knee pain or may be facing knee surgery or knee replacement due to common injuries, arthritis, overuse and other conditions.

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Commonly Treated Conditions:

ACL Procedure Video In-Depth with Dr. John Schultz ACL Procedure Video

The Regenexx family of non-surgical stem-cell & blood platelet procedures are next generation regenerative injection treatments for those who are suffering from pain, inflammation or reduced range of motion due tocommon elbow injuries, arthritis and overuse conditions.

View Details About Elbow Treatments

Commonly Treated Conditions:

The Regenexx family of hip surgery alternatives are breakthrough, non-surgical stem-cell treatments for people suffering from hip pain due to common injuries, hip arthritis & other degenerative problems related to the hip joint.

View Details About Hip Treatments

Commonly Treated Conditions:

Hip Labrum Procedure Video Hip Avascular Necrosis Procedure Video

Regenexx has many non-surgical platelet and stem cell based procedures developed to help patients avoid spine surgery and high dose epidural steroid side effects. These procedures utilize the patients own natural growth factors or stem cells to treat bulging or herniated discs, degenerative conditions in the spine, and other back and neck conditions that cause pain.

View Details About Spine Treatments

Commonly Treated Conditions:

Intradiscal Procedure Video

Regenexx has many non-surgical platelet and stem cell based procedures developed to help patients avoid spine surgery and high dose epidural steroid side effects. These procedures utilize the patients own natural growth factors or stem cells to treat bulging or herniated discs, degenerative conditions in the spine, and other back and neck conditions that cause pain.

View Details About Spine Treatments

Commonly Treated Conditions:

Cervical Spine Video

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Regenexx Overview - Health Link Medical Center

Patients guide to treatments – The Niche

Updated for 2016. Top 10 list of important, easy to understand facts for patients about stem cell clinic treatments.

For better or worse, I am in the unique position of being a stem cell scientist and also a former cancer patient. Looking on the bright side this gives me a unique perspective on things compared to many of my colleagues.

I know there are thousands of people out there looking for more practical information about stem cell therapies and treatments. These folks understandably are using the Internet to look for some clear, good info on stem cell treatments either for themselves or their loved ones. Too often the info that is out there is either wrong, partially misleading, biased, or overly complex.

So in this post I want to address this need for trustworthy factual information and no-nonsense perspectives. I am speaking as a scientist, patient advocate and cancer survivor in the form of 10 key realties list belowto help you guide your way through the jungle of stuff out there about stem cells. As mentioned above, I have now updated this post for 2016 as some things have changed in big waysin just the past few years.Keep in mind this is not medical advice and you should absolutely talk to your personal doctor with whom you should make your own decisions.

1) Stem cells are often essentially a type of drug and possibly permanent in your body after a transplant.Yeah, stem cells can be extremely unusual drugs, but they are often drugs even if some argue they arent. The FDA considers them drugs in many cases. Unlike other drugs, once a patient receives a stem cell drug, it will not necessarily simply go away like other drugs because a stem cell drug consists of living cells that often behave in unpredictable ways. What this means is if the stem cells are doing bad things your doctor has no way to stop it. You have no way to stop it. Also because stem cells are alive they can grow inside your body, move around, and change. This can be helpful or harmful, but the big point is that it is not something that is controllable or reversible.

2) Side effects.Like any medical product, even aspirin,stem cells treatments will have side effects. Not maybe. Definitely. Our hope is the side effects will be relatively mild. Different kinds of stem cells have variable risk profiles, but if someone tells you that the stem cell treatment they are selling has no risks then that is a big red flag and I would walk away. They are either woefully lacking in knowledge or arent being honest with you. Sometimes clinics will either on their websites or in person acknowledge risks almost as sort of a disclaimer, but then theyll tell more casually that there arent really any risks. A common statement is The only risk is that it wont work. Thats false.

3)The only stem cell treatment explicitly approved by the FDA for use in the U.S. consists of versions of bone marrow/hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.What this means is that any other stem cell treatment you see advertised on Facebook or Google or elsewhere that indicates it will be given to you inside the U.S. is not FDA approved. The exceptions to this are if it is part of an FDA-approved clinical trial or it is using stem cells in a procedure that meets other criteria (e.g. being both homologous use and minimally manipulatedyeah I know these are jargon terms).

4)If you venture outside the U.S. for a stem cell treatment, use extra caution, but in 2016 also be very careful inside the U.S.Whether you travel abroad or closer to home, have a knowledgeable physician inside the U.S. guiding you, preferably your primary care doctor who mot often are not going to buy into hype. We have to avoid the trap of thinking that only the U.S. can offer advanced medical treatments and these days many American patients get their stem cell transplants here in the U.S. from dubious clinics.

5)Stem cells are not a cure-all.I am as excited as anybody about the potential of stem cells to treat a whole bunch of diseases and injuries, but they are not some kind of miracle cure for everything. When a doctor offers to inject some kind of stem cells into a patient either into the bloodstream or into a specific place that is injured such as a shoulder, we just do not know at this point if it will do any good with the exception of bone marrow transplant. You should start getting worried if the clinic tells you that one kind of stem cell such as fat, bone marrow, or amniotic stem cells can treat many different conditions. Theres no science behind that kind of claim. Stem cells are not a panacea.

Patients often mention to me that the doctors offering stem cell treatments told them that the treatments are proven safe.or that your own stem cells cannot harm youor that adult stem cells are harmless. I often tell people to think about how much research and how many questions they ask when looking to get a new car. You should bring at least that level of intensity (ideally much more) to getting info about stem cell transplants too as the stakes are even higher.Be skeptical. Ask many questions and if you arent convinced, then dont do it.

6)Dont let celebrities be your guide to medical care.The number of famous people getting stem cell treatments is increasing including sports stars and politicians. Dont let what these folks do influence what you decide to do about your health. Just because they are famous do not believe for one minute that they are any more informed than you or your personal doctor about medical treatments or stem cells. If anything I think sometimes famous people are more reckless with their health than average people like you and me.

7)Reach out to scientists as a source of info.As a scientist I am always happy to hear from people outside the scientific community with questions about stem cells and other research. I cant speak for all stem cell scientists but you might be surprised at how likely it is that if you send them a very short, clear email with one or two questions that they will respond and be helpful. We cant or shouldnt offer medical advice, but we can give our perspectives on stem cell research and its clinical potential, etc. Just do not cold call scientists as you are unlikely to find them that way and even if you do, they may be cranky. Email. If they dont reply try someone else and dont be offended they we didnt answer. Often times we may not answer because we are super busy. For instance, I often get more than 100 emails a day.

8)The people selling you non-FDA approved stem cell treatments want your money.As such they will do their best to convince you that their treatment is safe and effective. The more convincing they are then the more money they make. They may offer patient testimonials either from patients who truly believe they were helped or from people who are paid to say the treatment helped them. The bottom line is that the sellers of dubious stem cell treatments are generally in it for the big bucks. Admittedly I do think that some of these providers truly believe stem cells are helpful, but youll never see even them offering to give patients the cells at cost. These are instead very much for-profit operations.

9)NEWJust because something is called a stem cell clinical trial doesnt mean it really is and being listed on clinicaltrials.gov means a lot less than it used to.I am contacted weekly or even daily at times by patients or their families and they are rightly focused on getting information that they can trust. Many stem cell clinics call the treatments that they offer by the name clinical trial and thats often misleading. In the standard meaning of clinical trial the experimental therapy being tested has the FDAs approval to be used in the study, there are data supporting the study, and those doing the trial do not charge patients to be in it. You shouldnt have to pay to be a guinea pig. I think thats almost always going to be unethical on the part of those giving it. I often suggest that people turn to the federal website clinicaltrials.gov for information and that is still a great resource, but be aware that many pseudo-clinical trials are popping up on there that are really mostly about making money. They do not have FDA approval in many cases and there are other issues of concern. So even on that website use caution.

10)The most important thing is information/data and you have a right to see it before treatment.Before you or a loved one get a stem cell treatment, ask two key questions. First, is the treatment FDA approved and if not, why not? Second, can you please show me the data that proves your treatment is safe and effective? See what kind of answer you get. If they criticize the FDA or invoke a plot by big pharma to block stem cells then that is a warning flag. If they refuse to show you data, then that is a big red warning flag. They may say it is confidential or that it is not published yet, but as a patient you have a right to see the data, assuming they have any data at all.

These facts will likely change over the coming years, but right now I think they represent reality. I know as patients we need hope, but these unapproved stem cell treatments will at best take your money for nothing, and at worst will endanger you or your loved ones.

The post above is for information only and is not medical advice. All medical decisions should be made by patients in consultation with their personal physicians.

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Patients guide to treatments - The Niche