Nov 13, 2014
What’s new for the musculoskeletal care of the aging athlete? First, let me define an athlete; or better put, the recreational interests of aging boomers, masters and seniors. This week, I undertook the knee care of a 67 year old woman from North Dakota whose major interest was a return to her twice a week bowling league. Then there is the 40 year old one time marathon runner from Madison whose knees are preventing him from continuing his athletic pursuit. When I left my house this morning, I had to brush some snow from my back window and I could have predicted the first phone call. “Dr. Sheinkop, I am afraid my arthritic hip will keep me from skiing this year, can you help me?”
The outcomes data that Regenexx posted on its web site these last several weeks as well as my own data base allow me to say “yes” to all of these aspiring athletes no matter the age or the sport/hobby/interest/fitness demand. Arthritis need not be followed by a joint replacement. Until the advent of Cellular Orthopedics, all treatment of the arthritic joint has been directed to relieving symptoms. The only means of actually intervening in the arthritic process was a joint replacement. While they work most of the time, there are risks involved in surgery, time off from work, facing the future of a revision, and little chance of genu flexing enough to bowl or ski down a black or blue run with a total hip or any run with a total knee. There is absolutely no chance of ever running again with a prosthetic joint unless you want a second surgery in less than five years. The orthopedic literature clearly documents that more than 60% of joint replacement recipients have given up all recreational and fitness pursuits within fewer than five years of undergoing said surgery.
Returning to the lead question in the first paragraph, it is Cellular Orthopedics; that is Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate containing the positive growth factors, Cytokines, Mesenchymal Stem Cells; and as yet undescribed, multiple agents that alter the bio-immune environment of the arthritic joint. The potential is to not only relieve your pain from the anti-inflammatory effect, restore motion by the reversal of scarring but actually postpone or eliminate the need for a joint replacement by altering or actually reversing the arthritic process.
Now if you will excuse me, after having spent the last week out of the office, I am heading off to the fitness center and begin the preparation for the skiing season
Tags: arthritis, athletes, bone marrow, Bone Marrow Concentrate, Hip Replacement, Interventional Orthopedics, joint replacement, Knee, Mature Athlete, medicine, Orthopedics, Osteoarthritis, Regenerative, Regenexx, stem cells
Nov 3, 2014
From time to time, I consult with patients who just don’t meet the inclusion criteria regarding Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate intervention for arthritis. At the same time, some of those patients are so pharmacologically dependent owing to medical conditions demanding maintenance that I am unable to offer them autogenous hope from their own Platelet Rich Plasma or that which may be created from a patient’s own platelets. While in the minority, as an orthopedic surgeon offering Cellular Orthopedic interventions for arthritis in those unable to undergo a joint replacement wherein the internist deems the procedure unsafe or who seek to avoid or at least postpone a joint replacement; weight loss, physical therapy, cortisone injection and visco-supplementation are short term fixes and not necessarily without potential risks. The real damage to stem cells from cortisone injections became the subject matter of several recent scientific publications. First no harm is what I was first taught in my orthopedic training.
Over the past several months, I have sought treatment alternatives for patients as described above; not candidates for current interventions with standard autogenous procedures. Enter the new alternative, allograft. Derived from Amniotic Fluid, the intervention is FDA approved, safe, and in some cases, even covered by third party indemnification. There are many companies offering this treatment alternative and I am investigating the multiple options. Please be aware, amniotic fluid alternatives are not a substitute for Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate derived stem cells ; but there may be a place for this anti-inflammatory alternative when established Cellular Orthopedic options can’t be used in an arthritic because of medical co-morbidities such as heart disease, chemotherapy, kidney disease, liver disease, obesity, Diabetes, etc, etc, etc. Amniotic Fluid usage in Orthopedic is not new; there are publications dating back to 1938 in the orthopedic scientific literature. It wasn’t though until the last five years evidently that allograft investigation led to the development of currently available products.
If you fall into the category of patients who do not meet the inclusion criteria for Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate or in whom your Platelet Rich Plasma would not be a suitable alternative, you may be a candidate for Amniotic Fluid Concentrate intervention. Under certain circumstances, the allograft may be covered by your insurance. To learn more, call for a consultation:
847 390 7666
Tags: arthritis, athletes, Benefits and Risk, Bone Marrow Concentrate, Concentrated Stem Cell Plasma, Interventional Orthopedics, joint replacement, Knee Pain Relief, Mature Athlete, medicine, Orthopedic Care, Osteoarthritis, Pain Management, Regenerative, stem cells, Synvisc, treatment
Oct 27, 2014
I refuse to ignore the 50-plus demographic; that patient population is enormous and growing. According to a Nielson study, by 2017 boomers will control 70 percent of the country’s disposable income. Aging athlete, you are relevant. Additionally, as you are learning, there is an ever increasing deductable in your indemnification. That fiscal obligation could be used as an investment in your athletic future. Let me cite several examples of what is possible through Cellular Orthopedics.
Last year at this time, a 57 year old man presented with an arthritic left hip and had already received several orthopedic surgical recommendations for a left total hip replacement. Having learned about my work from the internet, he decided to get educated about the new world of regenerative medicine made possible through Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate. As the father of two teen age boys, he was concerned about a major surgical procedure and the inherent risks. He underwent a Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate in late November. When seen in late January, he reported that he had planned to take his two sons skiing in Colorado over their Easter vacation. Last week, he came in for assessment, reported how thrilling it was to have skied with his family: and told me of his New Years reservations for a return skiing trip over the holiday break.
Another example is a soon to be 70 year old avid cyclist and skier who had to stop skiing three years ago because of two arthritic knees. Just as the above individual, he had been advised by several orthopedic surgeons to undergo joint replacements. I shared with him, the activity scale results of patients who undergo a bilateral total knee replacement and compared them with my data base of outcomes for patients with arthritic knees who undergo stem cell interventions. It is now two years later and he has already booked two weeks of helicopter skiing in 2015 and a week with his family skiing in Colorado in February.
A study in 2007 found that 70% of boomers would change home appliance brands and slightly more would switch clothing preferences. Medicine is constantly changing, especially the providers as are surgical techniques and non surgical options. Adult Mesenchymal Stem Cells and growth factors with cytokines contained in the Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate carry little risk and great potential to eliminate pain, increase function, help you maintain an active athletic profile; alter the natural history of the arthritic progression and perhaps even influence cartilage regeneration. There will always be an opportunity to undergo a joint replacement but wouldn’t it be better to maintain or return to a high quality of recreational performance with little or no risk and no incisions?
Tags: arthritis, athletes, Benefits and Risk, bone marrow, Bone Marrow Concentrate, Hip Replacement, Interventional Orthopedics, joint replacement, Knee Pain Relief, Mature Athlete, medicine, Orthopedic Surgeon, Orthopedics, Osteoarthritis, Pain Management, Regenerative, Regenexx-SD, stem cells, treatment
Sep 22, 2014
As the impact of Biologics on society and the economy increases-just ask Steve Forbes-so too must the patient guard against charlatans, fraud and medical abuse. Musculoskeletal injury is the most common cause for emergency room visits worldwide, resulting in millions of hours of lost work and at a cost of billions of dollars each year. Orthopedic surgeons and physicians have traditionally relied upon metal prostheses, plastic implants, and synthetic fluid injections to repair and replace torn tissue and to ease the pain of arthritis. There continues to be tremendously exciting progress using stem cells and biologic agents to treat tissue damage. These treatment options help ease pain, suffering and allow optimal rehabilitation of the injured and arthritic patient without surgery. How is a patient with musculoskeletal injury or limited by arthritis able to choose the right physician in this ever-changing landscape of Regenerative Medicine and Cellular Orthopedics?
Let’s start with Regenexx and the ongoing research as well as scientific publications informing the patient as well as other physicians about the Outcomes of Regenerative Medicine interventions. Just navigate the Regenexx.com web site to see how they are the leader in data collection and outcomes surveillance with an ever increasing Data Base and experience. Then there are the Linked-In exchanges with Regenexx in which I participate ever increasing my knowledge base and assuring that my procedures remain at the forefront of this rapidly expanding specialty of medicine. As many readers of this Blog are aware, I maintain a very active data collection program allowing me to continually monitor the outcomes of my Cellular Orthopedic activities. The truth be told, we are in the forefront.
Last Thursday, I received recognition form the Board of Trustees of Rush University Medical Center for my years of “faithful and dedicated service as a member of the of the Medical Staff.” My academic rank is Emeritus Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. While the recognition was for services rendered as a joint replacement surgeon, today my mission is to help a patient postpone or possible avoid a new hip or knee through Stem Cell intervention.
Tags: arthritis, athletes, Bone Marrow Concentrate, Clinical Trial. Mitchell B. Sheinkop, Interventional Orthopedics, joint replacement, Knee, Mature Athlete, Osteoarthritis, Regenerative, Regenexx, stem cells
Sep 15, 2014
Well, there we were again over the Labor Day three day weekend, cycling up the elevations and over the roads of Southwest Wisconsin. In between, I was able to spend several hours wading in several of my favorite creeks that meander through the Driftless Area. As far as the fly fishing was concerned, it was with a hopper and dropper but I met with little success as I fished during the heat of the day. When it came to cycling though, that was very successful as on three consecutive days, my wife joined me after her cycling sabbatical of 15 years. Our group went out on long rides and two of the wives, mine included, joined us for part of the venture. Why this all becomes important is that two years ago, I was experiencing a major problem with my left knee. The symptoms, arthritis related, had caused me to stop running, decrease my cycling mileage, and alter my skiing agenda. One day, I decided it was time and I underwent a Cellular Orthopedic intervention in my left knee. It was either that or change my entire recreational agenda and limit myself to swimming.
I am happy to report that the musculoskeletal care via Cellular Orthopedics for this Mature Athlete worked and here I am, living a totally unrestricted life. My winter ski trips to the west are being planned so as not to interrupt my work schedule this winter. The absence of knee pain allows me to look forward to another long weekend in pursuit of the 20 inch Brown Trout before the end of the season in Wisconsin..Two years ago, I wasn’t sure if there would be any more skiing in my life or wading up the spring creeks because of the arthritic knee. Sure, I could always fish from a drift boat but it isn’t the same and the Wisconsin spring creeks are for wading, not drifting while seated in a boat.
OK, you get the message; the role of Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate derived Stem cells in Musculoskeletal Care of the Mature Athlete. Now if you will excuse me, I am off to the fitness center to stretch, run and row; all made possible by that Cellular Orthopedic Intervention, two years ago.
Tags: arthritis, athletes, Clinical Trial. Mitchell B. Sheinkop, Concentrated Stem Cell Plasma, Knee, Mature Athlete, Osteoarthritis, Regenexx-SD, stem cells, treatment
