STEM CELL THERAPY
What is an Stem Cell therapy?
Stem Cell injections can be derived from several sources, either from a patient's adipose (fatty) tissue or bone marrow or from a tissue bank. Stem Cell injections are used to treat acute (new) and chronic (old) muscle, tendon, bone and joint conditions. AMA treatments can help these areas heal, by assisting healing of damaged tissue and in some cases, the development of new tissue. Stem cell therapy is used to treat a variety of sports medicine and orthopedic conditions. Common conditions treated are tendonitis and osteoarthritis. Often, these injections are performed by Dr. Burns using ultrasound-guidance, to ensure accuracy of treatment and to maximize the results.
What is the Science?
Stem cell therapy usually refers to Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC's) that are injected into an area of pathology (osteoarthritis) that is no longer healing on it's own. MSC’s are capable of not only differentiating into the new tissue that is lost, but also coordinating the repair response. MSC's can differentiate into bone, cartilage, muscle, tendon and ligament tissue and can use paracrine and other effects to elicit significant changes in injured tissues (Centeno et al.).
How are the procedures performed?
Each procedure varies slightly depending on the source of the stem cells. These procedures are performed in an outpatient, office setting. Dr. Burns uses ultrasound-guidance for most injections, to ensure injection accuracy.
Stem cell therapy can be combined with Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injections in some cases.
What conditions are treated?
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Knee osteoarthritis
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Hip osteoarthritis
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Rotator cuff tendinopathy or partial tear
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Hamstring tendinopathy or partial tear
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Many others
Stem Cell Therapy Video
Centeno, Christopher J., et al. "A multi-center analysis of adverse events among two thousand, three hundred and seventy two adult patients undergoing adult autologous stem cell therapy for orthopaedic conditions." International orthopaedics 40.8 (2016): 1755-1765.