Special Announcement - Now Screening for FDA Approved Stem Cell Study Dr. Mitchell Sheinkop has completed training and is credentialed for an FDA-approved stem cell clinical trial for knee arthritis. Our clinic is now screening patients for this trial. Contact us at 312-475-1893 for details. Click here to learn more.
Joint pain, stiffness and swelling aren’t always inevitable results of aging
The above headline announced a featured article in the May 10, 2023 edition of the New York Times. Last Saturday night, my wife and I attended the Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert and watched Riccardo Muti conduct Rachmaninoff’s hour-long Second Symphony; Muti, born July 28, 1941, made sure the energy never lagged and the orchestra’s focus never wavered. As I marveled at the composition, I was also struck by how the conductor virtually completed a continuous aerobic workout at times almost genuflexing while at others, leaving his feet to reinforce his message to the orchestra. Not bad for someone who will soon celebrate his 82nd birthday.
My own musical career encompassed six months of piano lessons and a recital after which I focused my attention instead on 16-inch softball, football, and basketball. Maybe that is why I have arthritic joints and Maestro Muti is able to jump around the podium while conducting. We are separated in age by two months. I can still hear my mother asking me to practice our piano and “I don’t want you to play football”. That was then and here I am with arthritic joints. So, what am I doing about my symptoms and limitations? In the next several weeks, I will be receiving biologic interventions into two knees and my left hip. The treatment options will include adipose-derived Stem Cells; Plasma Rich Growth Factors; and A2M, the master proteinase inhibitor. As my arthritic knees and hip are still at Grade 3, the data clearly gives me a good chance at restoring function, diminishing symptoms, and postponing, perhaps avoiding joint replacements.
As far as our day-to-day office activities are concerned, in addition to our standard menu of cell-based therapies, we are still offering two studies using orthobiologics. One study involves an abdominal Mini liposuction under local anesthesia; while the other is Bone Marrow Concentrate focused. As I have previously mentioned in my Blog, I will be retiring from clinical practice on July 31, 2023. Dr. Siddharth Tambar will be absorbing my practice at that time. More to come about Dr. Tambar later. Until July 31, I am still treating patients and performing procedures. You may learn more at my website, www.sheinkopmd.com. To schedule a consultation call (312) 475-1893.
Today, we started scheduling patients for their 12-week follow-up appointments. I am reminded that July 31, 2023 will be my last day of practice prior to retirement.
It has been a long and rewarding journey starting in 1967, as an intern at Cook County Hospital in Chicago for one year followed by 42 months of Orthopedic Residency at Northwestern University affiliated Hospitals. Next came six months of a Pediatric Orthopedic Fellowship at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem while waiting for my orders to serve in The United States Air Force. After one year of active duty, (there followed eight years of USAF Reserve retiring as Captain) I served at The University of Chicago as an Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery.
In 1974, I was recruited to Rush University as director of the orthopedic residency training program where I remained until 2007 retiring as Professor and Head of the Joint Replacement Program. Shortly thereafter, I undertook a new direction in the emerging discipline of Regenerative Medicine continuing to integrate patient care with clinical research resulting in scientific publications and ongoing clinical studies and trials. Now it is time to move on again to new adventures. Until July 31, 2023, I will still be doing procedures and seeing patients. Thereafter, I will be referring patients to Dr. Siddharth Tambar, who has been practicing Regenerative Medicine for 15 years. Anticipating the future, I moved my practice to the Chicago Arthritis and Regenerative Medicine 618 West Fulton Street location in Chicago on the first of this year. Dr. Tambar is the Medical Director of Chicago Arthritis and Regenerative Medicine.
As indicated above, until July 31, I will be consulting with patients and continuing with Cellular Medicine procedures be they stem cell based from bone marrow and fat; Plasma Rich Growth Factors, Master Protease Inhibitors, etc. To learn more, visit my website www.sheinkopmd.com. To schedule an office visit, call (312) 475-1893. In my upcoming Blogs, I will discuss where my professional future will take me.
Before I get sentimental about the past — as the song “Don’t Let the Old Man In“ still resonates — let’s focus on the brightness of the present time since I am still offering evidence-based treatment options including but not limited to:
1) Micro-fractured Adipose Tissue. It is the only FDA-approved treatment option that allows access, adipose-derived (from your fat), to stem cells and growth factors in treating an arthritic joint or joints 2) Bone Marrow Aspiration Concentrate from you allowing for access to your stem cells and growth factors in treating arthritis 3) Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) made from your venous blood and injected into an arthritic joint. It was the earliest of regenerative options but is now used mostly as a secondary alternative 4) Plasma Rich Growth Factors the manufacture of which is initiated as in PRP but much better owing to the continued evolution of the preparation kits 5) Master Protease Inhibitor (A2M) is also dependent on a process akin to PRP but with a filtration kit designed to concentrate Growth Factors manufactured by the liver; molecules circulating in your blood that need to be processed and injected into an arthritic joint. 6) Subchondroplasty is a treatment option by which one or all of the above are injected into the bone adjacent to your arthritic joint 7) Exosomes though now being offered in many US Clinics with the potential to regenerate, heal and repair but there are currently no FDA approved Exosome treatments
The evidence continues to grow to support or refute the many claims advanced for the treatment of such far-ranging conditions as Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Heart failure, Multiple Sclerosis & more in Panama; or ALS, Aging, etc., in Mexico. In our Cellular Orthopedic and Regenerative Medicine Evidence-Based Practice, we integrate patient measurement of outcome results with the most advanced FDA-approved approaches to minimizing symptoms and maximizing physical function for those afflicted with osteoarthritis. As discussed previously, we must not forget how these noteworthy long-term patient outcomes are emblematic of minimally invasive treatments demonstrating improvement in patient function and diminishing the symptoms of Osteoarthritis.
To learn more, visit my website at www.sheinkopmd.com. To schedule an appointment call (312) 475-1893. You might want to stay current with my Blog as there are several upcoming important announcements concerning clinical research, outcomes, and future pathways.
The number of patients presenting with shoulder-generated complaints has dramatically increased in the past several months. Some complaints follow a single trauma, while others are the result of cumulative injury. Then there is osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis, and causation by metabolic disorders; and as in any joint, there is the possibility of a congenital predisposition.
When the patient presents to me with a chief complaint related to the shoulder, my initial focus is to make sure the symptoms are not referred from a cervical spine abnormality. Then a health assessment adds information about possible metabolic disorders and inflammatory causation. Once the examination of the neck is completed, my attention is directed to the shoulder. A visual inspection allows me to determine if there is muscle atrophy, both front and back. The physical examination includes a determination of whether adhesive capsulitis is playing a role or whether the range of shoulder motion has been limited by the underlying pathology within the shoulder. Manual muscle testing helps determine whether the problem is basically symptom-generating or function-limiting. There are several standard examination techniques available to help narrow the possible causes resulting in pain and altered shoulder function. A simple tape measure allows for the measurement of arm and forearm atrophy. The final information that helps to determine if the shoulder impairment is joint, muscle, tendon, or bone based is the X-ray. If the latter is “negative”, an MRI is indicated.
As far as treatment is concerned, the recommendation is based on the diagnosis. In most instances, physical therapy is the starting point. At times, a one-time steroid injection may be prescribed; I emphasize, it only once. In general, at reevaluation, a review of the initial assessment, and a review of imaging will allow me to determine if the problem is the rotator cuff or osteoarthritis. Treatment modalities after Physical Therapy include Micro-fractured adipose tissue (fat recovered by an office-based mini-liposuction containing stem cells and Growth Factor Proteins) for rotator cuff abnormality and Bone Marrow Concentrate (containing stem cells and Growth Factor Proteins) for osteoarthritis, and patient outcomes will be measured.
My disclaimer, the aforementioned is a general overview of shoulder-generated symptoms and altered function. As described, there are many possible causes contributing to shoulder disease. In the same way, there are many potential treatment options ranging from surgery when indicated to using a needle instead of a knife. Only an office visit and review of imaging will allow me to make an evidence-based recommendation for care; and only after informed consent from the patient will the two of us make the definitive decision for the best treatment option.
To learn more, visit my website at www.sheinkopmd.com. To schedule a consultation call (312) 475-1893.
It is about 15 years since I exchanged a scalpel for a needle; that is graduating from surgically replacing hips and knees to assisting patients impaired by pain and limited function from osteoarthritis to delaying, perhaps avoiding a joint replacement. During my many years of surgically replacing hips and knees at a major academic medical center in Chicago, where I became head of the joint replacement program and professor of Orthopedic Surgery, I collected outcomes data as I practiced thereby pioneering the integration of patient care with orthopedic research. The result was close to 100 scientific orthopedic publications influencing how joint replacements are carried out today; be it the cementless hip and knee replacement, the unicompartmental knee replacement, the long-term survivorship of a hip or knee prosthesis, the introduction of the mobile bearing knee prosthesis, robotic-assisted joint replacement, etc., etc., etc. At every step, it was the outcomes data collected that in part, led to how joint replacement surgery is practiced today.
When I graduated to a needle in lieu of a knife, cellular orthopedics, instead of a prosthesis, I used stem cells, platelets, and proteins taken from the patient’s own body to minimize or eliminate pain, improve function and at times even regenerate an arthritic joint. Now the skier, runner, cyclist, tennis player, golfer, hunter, sailor, runner, and fly fisherman could continue or return to their recreational passions. Along the way, as indicated, I used a variety of cell-based treatment options including concentrated bone marrow, microfractured adipose tissue, Platelet Rich Plasma, Plasma Rich Growth Factors, Protease Inhibitors, and subchondroplasty. Each and every patient was entered into our database allowing me to practice evidence-based Regenerative Medicine. By so doing, I was able to provide my patient with the best alternative to meet a particular need. At the same time, because of my evidence-based approach, I was able to publish several leading articles, again influencing clinical practice but this time in Regenerative Medicine rather than joint replacement surgery. Additionally, because of my commitment to an evidence-based practice, I was invited to participate in, to the best of my knowledge, the first FDA-approved use of adipose-derived stem cells for an arthritic knee sponsored by Personalized Stem Cells. That Clinical Trial was completed and a submission to the FDA for a second Trial, this time using culture-expanded cells is waiting for approval.
At present, I am participating in two clinical studies, one focused on Bone Marrow Concentrate and the second, on Microfractured Adipose Tissue for the arthritic joint. Regarding the latter, Rotator Cuff tears around the shoulder are included in The Study based on successes in tennis professionals. For those who meet the inclusion criteria for either Study and choose to participate, there is a significant cost reduction in care. To learn more schedule a consultation by calling (312) 475-1893 or visit my website at www.sheinkopmd.com. Enrollment for the Bone Marrow Concentrate and Microfractured Adipose Tissue Study will continue into early July.
