Every week, I receive updates via brochures and journals concerning the clinical and basic science orthopedic research being done around the country at the various university medical centers. I like to read them to understand how Cellular Orthopedics is emerging and is being accepted in academic institutions. When I retired from Rush and joint replacement surgery five years ago, my colleagues had a very jaundiced view of my new endeavors telling me and then my patients that Regenerative Medicine was unproven, was ten years away, and was not a reasonable alternative to a joint replacement. It is with great pleasure that I am able to announce the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery Surgical Skills update will include a three day course next month on Articular Cartilage Restoration: The Modern Frontier, as a continuing educational initiative. The title of one particular lecture really caught my attention Move-Over PRP/Viscosupplementation: Stem cells are in and why.
Taking it a step further, the latest bulletin from Jefferson Medical College’s department of orthopedic surgery reviews the basic science being done in the Laboratory of Theresa Freeman, PhD, Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery. “The development of Osteoarthritis can often be attributed to a trauma that occurs in youth, which begins the slow degeneration of cartilage. By reducing cartilage damage immediately after an injury, the development of osteoarthritis can be dramatically slowed.”
I have been making the case for an affirmative stem cell intervention every time an anterior cruciate surgical repair takes place or for that matter, when an individual undergoes an arthroscopic procedure. Two weeks ago, I completed a Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate Stem cell procedure three weeks after a young middle aged man had undergone micro fracture for a cartilage defect on the weight bearing part of his femur at the knee. On Friday, I scheduled a 72 year old gentleman for a stem cell procedure ten days after he had undergone arthroscopic surgery for a degenerative tear of his medial meniscus during the course of which degenerative changes were documented in the weight bearing zone at the inner compartment of his knee.
A webinar is scheduled by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons next month in order to introduce its orthopedic membership to what may be possible through Cellular Orthopedics. I have already advised you about the Continuing Education Course next month on Articular Restoration. The orthopedic academy membership is only now being introduced to what I have been practicing for almost four years. There are now close to 750 patients in my data base who have undergone Cellular Orthopedic procedures for arthritic joints to relieve pain, increase function and avoid, certainly postpone a joint replacement. On Saturday, I am headed out to Colorado to ski with family for a week. For readers of my blog, you may recall I have undergone a regenerative procedure for my left knee. While I am realistic and I don’t dwell on being who I used to be, I believe anything is possible at any age. If you want to continue or possibly return to skiing, biking, hiking, climbing, fly fishing, skating, fitness, etc, and the limitation is arthritis, schedule a consultation
847 390 7666
Tags: ACL Injury, arthritis, athletes, Benefits and Risk, bone marrow, Bone Marrow Concentrate, Hip, Hip Replacement, Interventional Orthopedics, joint replacement, Knee, Knee Pain Relief, Mature Athlete, medicine, Microfracture surgery, Orthopedic Care, Orthopedic Surgeon, Orthopedics, Osteoarthritis, Pain Management, Regenerative, Regenerative Pain Center, Regenexx, stem cells, treatment