What is Regenerative Medicine

May 10, 2018

What is Regenerative Medicine:

Regenerative Medicine is a holistic approach to aid in the treatment of joint pain, spine pain, injuries and /or degenerating tissue.  Biocellular regenerative medicine uses your body’s own ability to repair, replace or regenerate injured or wore out tissue. 

Regenerative medicine therapies include: Biocellular Stem Cell Therapy, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy and Prolotherapy.

What is a Stem Cell

Stem cells are our body’s repairmen and can be harvested from bone marrow.  They are self-renewing cells that help repair injured bone, ligaments, cartilage and tendons and act as firs responders when there is injury to a tissue.   We extract stem cells from bone marrow and place them where they are needed most, the injury.  By introducing these cells into the areas where our body needs repair (i.e. damaged or worn cartilage, injured tissue, painful joints, etc.) our body can begin repairing itself without surgery.  At Florida Spine Specialists, we use stem cells in many of our treatments to create an environment of optimal healing.

Orthopedic conditions can be treated with stem cells that are derived from the patient’s own bone marrow.  This is performed at Florida Spine Specialists in the procedure / OR suite.  The stem cells are extracted from the hip (Bone Marrow) and sent to our lab where they are separated, collected and prepared for reinjection into the patient’s joints. Bone marrow extraction is performed under local anesthetic and taken from the iliac crest.   Injecting Bone marrow concentrated stem cells is performed under either ultrasound or fluoroscopic guidance.   Once the damaged area is identified, the needle is guided to the injured site and the stem cells are infiltrated to that area. This process takes about an hour  from start to finish. The patient is monitored throughout the entire process and discharged to home with instructions. 

What are Platelets

Platelets are a component of blood that contain hundreds of proteins called “growth factors.”  Although platelets are best known for their clotting abilities, they are very important for repairing injuries.  When extracted from our own blood and injected into an injured area in a concentrated form, the concentration of growth factors in the injured area actually speeds the healing process.  At Florida Spine Specialists, we use your body’s platelets as a catalyst for healing and regeneration of tissue.

PRP therapy is the natural, effective solution for orthopedic pain relief

Platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections are replacing traditional orthopedic surgery in many instances for conditions that range from soft tissue injuries (tendonitis, muscle tears, ligamentous injuries) to various joint afflictions, such as a torn meniscus or mild to moderate arthritis of the joints. Regenerative techniques can be tailored to meet each patient’s orthopedic needs wherever he or she is experiencing discomfort.

The treatment of PRP is relatively simple and can be completed in one session. We collect the PRP by drawing a small amount of your blood, putting it into an FDA cleared device, placing it in a centrifuge and spinning it until the platelets separate from the blood. The PRP is then injected into the areas of concern to begin the regeneration and healing of both soft tissue injuries and various joint afflictions.

What is Prolotherapy

Prolotherapy is a nonsurgical treatment which stimulates healing. Short for “proliferation therapy,” Prolotherapy is also known as nonsurgical ligament and tendon reconstruction, or regenerative injection therapy. Prolotherapy works by stimulating the body’s own natural healing mechanisms to repair injured musculoskeletal tissue.

Prolotherapy causes a temporary, low grade inflammation at the injection site, activating fibroblasts to the area, which, in turn, synthesize precursors to mature collagen and thus reinforce connective tissue. It has been well documented that direct exposure of fibroblasts to growth factors (either endogenous or exogenous) causes new cell growth and collagen deposition. Inflammation creates secondary growth factor elevation. The inflammatory stimulus of Prolotherapy raises the level of growth factors to resume or initiate a new connective tissue repair sequence which had prematurely aborted or never started. Biopsy studies show ligament thickening, enlargement of the tendon-osseous junction, and strengthening of the tendon or ligament after Prolotherapy injections.

Prolotherapy is used for musculoskeletal pain or injury which is either unresolved after eight weeks, or (if earlier) where enhanced healing is desired. Prolotherapy can be used years after the initial pain or problem began, as long as the person is healthy. Because Prolotherapy works to repair weak and painful joint areas, it is a long-term solution rather than a temporary measure such as drugs or Cortisone.  Typically, two to four treatments are given at monthly intervals.

FDA Disclaimer

Florida Spine Specialists are not representing or offering “stem cell therapy” as a cure for any condition, disease, or injury. No statements or implied treatments on this website have been evaluated or approved by the FDA. This website contains NO medical advice. All statements and opinions provided by this website are provided for educational and informational purposes only and we do not diagnose or treat via this website or via telephone. Florida Spine Specialists offer treatments that are in the investigational stage to provide individual patients with tissue Stromal Vascular Fraction that contains their own autologous stem cells and growth factors. This center provides minimal surgical procedures only and is not involved in the use or manufacture of any investigational drugs.

Florida Spine Specialists represents that it is VERY important for potential patients to do their own research based on the options that we present so that one can make an informed decision. Any decision to participate in our patient funded experimental protocols is completely voluntary.

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