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.
Most Current Therapies for Osteoarthritis Only Address Symptoms

Most Current Therapies for Osteoarthritis Only Address Symptoms

We Treat the Causes

Limited treatment options for Osteoarthritis exist, and the current therapies are all palliative. They only address the symptoms but fail to address the root cause: cartilage damage from the activity of degradative enzymes (proteases) that destroy the arthritic joint. That’s why we use novel treatments to operate at the molecular level. Successful treatment must combat the degradative enzymes at a molecular level.

Standard Non-operative Treatment Options
  • Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs
  • Analgesics
  • Hyaluronic Acid Injections
  • Corticosteroid injections
  • Physical Therapy, Weight Reduction, Bracing
Unpredictable Outcomes
  • Temporary symptomatic relief
  • Treats the symptoms, not the cause
  • Many side effects

Hip Intervention for Osteoarthritis | Evidence-Based Care

By chance, while I was writing the Blog this morning, I turned on my computer and found this greeting on the five-year anniversary from a patient who had undergone a Bone Marrow Concentrate/Stem Cell/Growth Factor hip intervention for osteoarthritis.

“Have to say from year four to five no deterioration. In fact, maybe feeling a bit better.

– Still maintaining a daily self-initiated PT regime for leg strength. That soreness (uncomfortable) mostly right below the knee cap and back of pelvis seems to have dissipated.
– Finally developing a normal gait.”

I will let the facts speak for themselves:

The above record was executed by the patient; and thus, objective. It is our means, in part, of documenting outcomes on a continuing basis of the patients we treat; thus, allowing us to lead the Midwest in evidence-based regenerative medicine and Cellular Orthopedics using biologics and not a knife. Then, there is the topic over which I am continually queried, “how soon will I improve and how long will it last?”

When treating an arthritic joint with biologics, the partial improvement may be immediate, or maximum medical improvement may take months, perhaps years. If you want to avoid a knife for an orthopedic impairment, call (312) 475-1893 to schedule your consultation. You may continue reading more at my website: www.sheinkopmd.com.

“There is no such thing as a free lunch”

“There is no such thing as a free lunch”

I will let the scientific facts speak for themselves. Keep this in mind the next time you see the advertisement from the Stem Cell hustlers of America. There is no such thing as a free lunch.

From: The American Journal of Sports Medicine

Are Amniotic Fluid Products Stem Cell Therapies? A Study of Amniotic Fluid Preparations for Mesenchymal Stem Cells with Bone Marrow Comparison

Alberto J. Panero, DO*, Alan M. Hirahara, MD, FRCSC, Wyatt J. Andersen, ATC,
First Published 7, 2019 Research Article https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546519829034

Abstract
Background:
In vivo amniotic fluid is known to contain a population of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and growth factors and has been shown to assist in healing when used as an adjunct in procedures across multiple medical specialties. It is unclear whether amniotic fluid products (AFPs) contain MSCs and, if so, whether the cells remain viable after processing.
Purpose: To determine whether MSCs, growth factors, and hyaluronan are present in commercially available Amniotic Fluid Products.

Study Design:
Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods:
Seven commercial companies that provide amniotic fluid were invited to participate in the study; 3 companies (the manufacturers of PalinGen, FloGraft, and Genesis AFPs) agreed to participate and donated AFPs for analysis. The AFPs were evaluated for the presence of MSCs, various growth factors relevant to orthopaedics (platelet-derived growth factor ββ, vascular endothelial growth factor, interleukin 8, bone morphogenetic protein 2, transforming growth factor β1), and hyaluronan by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and culture of fibroblast colony-forming units. These products were compared with unprocessed amniotic fluid and 2 separate samples of MSCs derived from human bone marrow aspirates. All groups used the same culture medium and expansion techniques. Identical testing and analysis procedures were used for all samples.

Results:
MSCs could not be identified in the commercial AFPs or the unprocessed amniotic fluid. MSCs could be cultured from the bone marrow aspirates. Nucleated cells were found in 2 products (PalinGen and FloGraft), but most of these cells were dead. The few living cells did not exhibit established characteristics of MSCs. Growth factors and hyaluronan were present in all groups at varying levels.

Conclusion:
The Amniotic Fluid Products studied should not be considered “stem cell” therapies, and researchers should use caution when evaluating commercial claims that products contain stem cells. Given their growth factor content, however, AFPs may still represent a promising tool for orthopaedic treatment.

Clinical Relevance:
Amniotic fluid has been proposed as an allogenic means for introducing MSCs. This study was unable to confirm that commercial AFPs contain MSCs.

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The Right Cellular Orthopedic Procedure for You

The truth about reparative medicine in orthopaedics and why it matters to you is that in the USA, millions of people suffer from orthopedic conditions and are looking for options to major surgery. At the same time, there is a segment of the population that can’t safely undergo a major joint replacement procedure. Then there are those who are highly active and are looking to keep up with their sporting activities and an unlimited life style. The older generation is living longer and very active. The younger generation is also participating in sports and playing for a longer period. The wear and tear in joints cause pain and ultimately may cause or aggravate an arthritic process. There is an option to surgery and a means of postponing, perhaps avoiding a Total Joint Replacement. While Cellular Orthopaedics (Regenerative Medicine), offers a reparative technology, it is important to recognize that all therapies in the marketplace are not equal. There are many different types of tissues: fat, bone marrow, amniotic fluid, placental tissue, cord blood, Wharton’s Jelly, and circulating blood marketed for intervention but only concentrate from your own bone marrow, concentrate and filtered platelet product from your own blood, and now micro-fractured fat from your own adipose tissue meet FDA compliance requirements.

Over the past ten years, advances in reparative medicine have resulted from science and research behind the different options. You may read about my role at www.sheinkopmd.com/published-research-articles/ to learn more. I was one of the first orthopaedic surgeons to study the effects of Micro-fractured Fat (Lipogems) in patients with Grade 4 Osteoarthritis of the knee who were en route to a Total Knee Replacement. Now that the FDA has granted clearance, many physicians are showing up with claims of offering adipose stem cells. While fat has reparative qualities and can help promote a healing environment, it is not a resource for cartilage regeneration.

As always though in the current health marketing environment, a patient must guard against misrepresentation of product, effect and outcomes. The article I published in November of 2018, is the only scholarly article of which I am aware that has true clinical adipose outcomes data. https://www.amjorthopedics.com/article/safety-and-efficacy-percutaneous-injection-lipogems-micro-fractured-adipose-tissue. Those clinics offering a type of fat technology that is processed using enzymes and manipulates the cells are doing so by failing to abide by FDA Guidance. Additionally, some providers are offering “Stem Cell Treatments” at very high costs and thus mislead the public along with the parasites, camp followers and charlatans promoting amniotic fluid, cord blood and Wharton’s jelly. Our goal is to provide the right treatment options for a patient with solutions that have strong scientific evidence behind the technology and are cleared by the FDA. I am happy to be a leader in the Evidence Based initiative.

To schedule a consultation call (312) 475-1893          You may visit my web site at www.sheinkopmd.com

 

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Cellular Orthopedics: How long will it take to enjoy the benefits?

How long will the benefits last?

Yesterday, an individual presented in the office on a professional matter for a scheduled business meeting and during our discussions, related that he had undergone right hip arthroscopy, eight weeks earlier. He had an antalgic (painful) gait while walking into the meeting room so I discussed the rationale for undergoing a Platelet Rich Plasma concentrate/Growth Factor Concentrate intervention when he returned to his home base. The individual elected to become my patient on the spot so I performed a physical assessment and noted asymmetrical hip motion with limitation on the right side. His pre-arthroscopic diagnosis was a torn acetabular labrum. In 45 minutes, my team had drawn his blood and prepared the concentrated injectate followed by my completing an ultrasound guided intraarticular right hip injection. Within five minutes, his inability to fully spread his legs, flex and extend his hip, and tolerate internal and external rotation had been corrected. This is not an infrequent observation following a Cellular Orthopedic intervention to the hip; yet I have no explanation for the immediate pain relief and return of joint function. He left the office with almost no discernable limp.

This past Monday, the office received this communication from a patient who began treatment with Bone Marrow Concentrate to her knees about four years ago; returning on several occasions until she reached maximum medial improvement at 18 months post intervention.

“I wanted to write to you and Dr Sheinkop to congratulate you on the published study in the Journal of Translational Medicine in which I was a participant. It is really satisfying to see that results finally in print.  I want to thank you both for allowing me to participate, even though I was outside of the Chicago area. 

Just to follow up, my knees have been doing really well for the past year. I enjoyed a long summer of bicycling, including regular 20-30 mile rides as well as a 40 and 50-mile ride, without significant pain. I also have been able to use the elliptical pain free and just in the past two weeks I started running on the treadmill (alternating one minute of running & walking for about 20-25 minutes on a 4% incline). I’m starting really slow -but I never thought I would be able to run relatively pain-free again”.

There is no way of predicting how soon and for how long a cellular orthopedic intervention will have an effect. Our ongoing outcomes observations for over six years may eventually help answer the question; but in the meantime, we ask our patients to return periodically so we may learn from them and intervene if needed.

To learn how you may benefit from a Cellular Orthopedic intervention schedule a consultation by calling (847)-390-7666.  My web site is at www.sheinkopmd.com.

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Osteoarthritis of the hip

Osteoarthritis of the hip

Hip osteoarthritis (OA) exerts a significant burden on society, affecting 3% of Americans aged >30 years. Recent advances in the understanding of the pathoanatomy and pathomechanics of the hip have led to treatment options for young adults with hip pain. Femoroacetabular impingement, specifically cam-type femoroacetabular impingement, hip dysplasia, and the sequelae of pediatric hip disease can predispose the hip to early OA. However, many patients with abnormal anatomic findings do not develop early OA, suggesting that there exist other patient characteristics that are protective despite abnormal bony anatomy. Outcome studies show that arthroscopic and open hip procedures improve pain and function in patients with symptomatic hips. However, there is currently limited evidence that these procedures extend the life of the patient’s natural hip. Additional studies are needed to determine protective or adaptive factors in patients with abnormal anatomy who do not develop early OA and to determine whether joint preserving hip surgery extends the life of the native hip joint.

Review Article:Natural History of Structural Hip Abnormalities and the Potential for Hip Preservation
James D. Wylie, Christopher L. Peters, Stephen Kenji Aoki

What makes the article so interesting to me is first, I played a role in training one of the authors in my earlier academic career. More important is the role I am now playing in helping to preserve the life of the hip joint with a needle instead of a knife and extending the life of the “native hip joint”. The latter is done via Cellular Orthopedics. By introducing Stem Cells, Platelets, Precursor Cells, and Growth Factors, I am now able to address arthritis at a Bio-Immune level, possibly regenerate cartilage, potentially influence healing of the torn acetabular labrum, certainly reverse the secondary inflammation and thereby diminish pain and improve function in the abnormal hip joint.

It takes an evaluation in my office including the history, a physical examination and my review of your hip images after which I am able to customize the Cellular Orthopedic intervention that will help with joint preservation and potentially, joint regeneration. Our Outcomes studies continue and it is the result of ongoing data collection that allows me to extend the life of your native hip. Call (312) 475 1893 to schedule a consultation. You may visit my web site at www.sheinkopmd.com

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A Regenerative and Restoration Milestone

A Regenerative and Restoration Milestone

It happens every year since the day I was born, there is a birthday celebration in my home and it happens again this week. Sure, I have a little more graying of my hair; but fortunately, I have my hair. I also have an activity level that would not have been possible, given the arthritis in my knees and hips, unless I had undergone restorative and regenerative intervention taking advantage of Bone Marrow Concentrate and Platelet Rich Plasma Offerings as I write about in these blogs. 

To give you some insight of what is possible no matter your age and before you become a couch potato owing to pain and functional limits imposed by arthritis, let me describe what I have planned for the Memorial Day weekend. You might recall that I was experiencing progressive functional limitation until a regenerative procedure was completed on my knees, December, 27, 2017 followed by a similar procedure in my hips on January 11, 2018. On this upcoming Thursday, I will begin planting a relatively large vegetable garden in the mid-day when we arrive in Southwest Wisconsin followed by a late afternoon 30-mile bike ride. First, we stop at the Amish Greenhouse in our neck of the woods to collect the vegetables and Herbs. On Friday the cycling and planting will continue; Saturday will be a half day of fly fishing followed by more planting and then another 30-mile bike ride. Sunday will be a repeat of Saturday after the evening outdoor barbecue. Monday morning is another half day of fly fishing, then planting of the herb plot after which we return to Chicago and office patients on Tuesday.

I felt your pain until I took advantage of the possibility for functional restoration and joint regeneration that I offer my patients. No more kvetching from me. The way I want to live is the way I practice.  I am not ready to slow down even though birthdays are being celebrated each year; and I don’t have to alter my way of life; having enjoyed symptom relief and functional restoration via Bone Marrow Concentrate and Platelet Rich Plasma offerings.

To learn about how you might continue to enjoy or perhaps return to an active, symptom free lifestyle, call (312) 475-1893 To schedule an appointment. You may visit my blog at HTTP://www.ILcellulartherapy.com where you may watch the webinar

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