In the past several years, the major joint replacement manufacturers have dedicated increasing resources to the field of OrthoBiologics with the belief that joint replacements for arthritis, as we know them today, will no longer control market share. In anticipation of this introduction of scientific advances for the care and treatment of arthritis, I “graduated” from joint replacement to Regenerative Medicine (Cellular Orthopedics ) three years ago. I exchanged an incision and scalpel for a trochar and syringe in offering pain relief, improved function, alteration of the natural history of arthritis progression, and perhaps regeneration of cartilage for the usual and customary prosthetic joint.
The poster child for the field of Regenerative Medicine has been Kolbe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers who when faced with career ending arthritic issues of his knee traveled to Germany for what at that time was unavailable in the United States. He has extended his career with a biologic intervention whereas a joint replacement would have necessitated retirement. Today in the United Sates, Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate containing Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Cytokines and Growth Factors is the basis for intervention whereas at the startup, three years ago, it was Platelet Rich Plasma. The next generation of OrthoBiologics is now in development and I am happy to announce that I will be playing a major role in the future of Regenerative Medicine as I am now helping design and introduce several clinical trials. On Friday night, August 21, Fox News Chicago will air the story of one of my patients and why, after an unsatisfactory outcome of a total knee replacement on the right, she chose the Orthobiologic option on the left. In that story, you will learn how and why I added Subchondroplasty as an adjunct to improve the outcome.
At Regenexx, we are continuing to stay ahead of the maddening crowds with research and development. I have been asked to join the Regenexx advisory panel and contribute based on my experience first as a Joint Replacement surgeon and for the past three years as an Interventional Orthopedist integrating patient care with research and education. If you want to benefit from the present, make an appointment; if you want to know about the future, stay tuned.
Tags: arthritis, athletes, Benefits and Risk, Bone Marrow Concentrate, Clinical Studies, Hip Replacement, Orthopedic Care, Orthopedic Surgeon, Osteoarthritis, Pain Management, Regenerative, stem cells, treatment