Might minimally invasive stem-cell treatment for conditions causing knee or hip pain secondary to common injuries or other degenerative problems be a substitute treatment for arthroscopy or even total joint replacement? If you are experiencing joint impairment and the MRI is “positive”, the pain is most probably due to the bio-immune and inflammatory changes of degenerative joint disease and “wear and tear” arthritis rather than a torn meniscus or acetabular labrum. You may want to investigate Bone Marrow Concentrate derived stem cell management rather than undergoing a surgical procedure of the hip or knee.
Traditional options for patients suffering from joint pain and altered life style include arthroscopic surgery or total joint replacement. With both surgeries, months of rehab are required, the outcome is not guaranteed and the patient must be aware of and prepared to take on the risks.
Original Article
Incidental Meniscal Findings on Knee MRI in Middle-Aged and Elderly Persons
Martin Englund, M.D., Ph.D., Ali Guermazi, M.D., Daniel Gale, M.D., David J. Hunter, M.B.,B.S., Ph.D., Piran Aliabadi, M.D., Margaret Clancy, M.P.H., and David T. Felson, M.D., M.P.H.
N Engl J Med 2008; 359:1108-1115September 11, 2008
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the knee is often performed in patients who have knee symptoms of unclear cause. When meniscal tears are found, it is commonly assumed that the symptoms are attributable to them. The prevalence of a meniscal tear or of meniscal destruction in the painful knee as detected on MRI ranged from 19% (95% confidence interval [CI], 15 to 24) among women 50 to 59 years of age to 56% (95% CI, 46 to 66) among men 70 to 90 years of age. Among persons with radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis (Kellgren–Lawrence grade 2 or higher, on a scale of 0 to 4, with higher numbers indicating more definite signs of osteoarthritis), the prevalence of a meniscal tear was 63% among those with knee pain, aching, or stiffness on most days and 60% among those without these symptoms. The corresponding prevalence among persons without radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis was 32% and 23%. Sixty-one percent of the subjects who had meniscal tears in their knees had not had any pain, aching, or stiffness during the previous month.
Conclusions
Incidental meniscal findings on MRI of the knee are common in the general population and increase with increasing age.
What about the hip? Leah Ochoa published an article in CORR, 2010 that 87% of patients with hip pain have at least one finding of Femoral Acetabular Impingement on X-ray with a high rate of labral tears found on asymptomatic volunteers. The message, if you have less than 2mm of joint space on an X-ray, the problem does not lend itself to hip arthroscopy. If you have any reduced motion of your hip and a “positive” MRI for a labral tear, don’t treat the MRI, look further. Might stem cell management help avoid or postpone surgery? Call to learn more
Mitchell B. Sheinkop, M.D.
1565 N. LaSalle Street . Chicago . Illinois . 60610
312-475-1893
Tags: arthritis, Bone Marrow Concentrate, Clinical Trial. Mitchell B. Sheinkop, Osteoarthritis, stem cells, treatment