Now you know it, I have degenerative arthritis of both knees. It has affected me for more than ten years. In 2017 because of progressive symptoms and limitation, I had thought that I would need to give up skiing, cycling and fly fishing. At the time, imaging was compatible with grade 4 OA at the patellofemoral part of the joint; but grade 2 to 3, between tibia and femur. My decision in late December of 2017 was a proprietary Platelet Rich Plasma filtered concentrate into both knees and it worked (growth factors). I skied, cycled and walked up spring creeks in Southwest Wisconsin all of 2018 and most of 2019 but now limited discomfort is recurring and my gait is changing. While as most persons over 65, there is some degree of wear and tear in the low back contributing to my discomfort after prolonged standing; the pain generator is inflammation from osteoarthritis of my knees. The question for me now is whether to repeat the procedure of 2017 that was successful in relieving pain and improving function by concentrating platelets and filtering the growth factor proteins in my plasma?
Fast forward to the end of this year or the beginning of 2020. The Personalized Stem Cell FDA application for The Clinical Trial using Adipose Derived Stem Cells to treat knee OA, Grade 2 to 4 has been approved as of late July of this year. As you may have learned, ours is the first center in the Country to have been trained and credentialed to recruit and perform the procedure (www.sheinkopmd.com and www.personalizedstemcells.com); several patients are now scheduled for the procedure and four more scheduled for the prescreening process. My personal issue is that I have OA affecting both knees. PSC has indicated it will be applying for FDA approval to treat patients with bilateral knee osteoarthritis sometime after mid-November. In order to assure my preparedness to ski in January and February of 2020 with full recovery and rehabilitation, I will need to have instituted treatment by December 1. As well, while the Wisconsin trout fishing season ends on October 15, it reopens about January 6. For those not familiar, the hiking, climbing, crawling and unstable walking in or along a spring creek can be as demanding as skiing down a mogul run on the ski slopes out West.
Here is my plan based on my stem cell experience, biologic familiarity, and privilege of having been selected as a Center of Excellence for the Personalized Stem Cell FDA approved Clinical Trial. If the FDA approves the PSC bilateral application by mid-November, I will opt for the latter. On the other hand, if my self-imposed recreational time table is in doubt of being kept, I will repeat the IRAP (PRP growth factor) interventions and then opt to proceed with the PSC undertaking when possible. To learn more about the Personalized Stem Cell Trial, call (847) 370-4523, To schedule an office visit, call (312) 475-1893
Good running, cycling, skiing, walking, golfing, boating, fly fishing, curling, bowling etc., etc., etc.