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But I encourage anyone who is contemplating this treatment to become informed.

I think this is understandable and completely reasonable. Nobody wants surgery, especially went there may be a potential alternative such as an injection that can delay or prevent it. The FDA more recently is getting involved and shutting down many of these facilities. Historically, because stem cells and PRP do not fall into a classic “drug” category, the FDA did not regulate them. Many practitioners with varying credentials and motivations are performing “their style” of stem cell and PRP treatments. For many practitioners, this has resulted in an important “cash income stream” separate from insurance and regulation. Because treatments are considered experimental, health insurances do not pay for them. Specific indications, preparations, and protocols have not been standardized and agreed upon. Many reports regarding results after stem cell or PRP treatments are anecdotal. PRP concentrates have been demonstrated to have temporary anti-inflammatory properties. Some patients treated with PRP injections for OA of the knee do report pain relief and self-reported functional improvement. Some PRP preparations are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for some conditions but not for conditions of the hip or knee including OA. It is obtained by drawing blood from an individual which is centrifuged, separating the red cells and concentrating the remaining the plasma which contain platelets and growth factors. PRP (platelet rich plasma) is a concentration of the patients own platelets. I believe these technologies do hold great promise for the future, but is now it is not a panacea and clearly can’t magically regenerate a joint which has advanced arthritis. The concentration of stem cells injected into an arthritic joint is often exceedingly small and the exact indications and protocols have not yet been determined. An embryonic source, like the placenta can also be a source. Stem cells can be harvested from bone marrow, fat, and other tissues. Stem cells are naturally occurring cells in our body with the potential to develop into many different types of tissue including hyaline cartilage. There are many dubious treatments circulating which claim to “cure arthritis,” such as with injections of stem cells or platelet-rich plasma. This cartilage transplant treatment is not applicable when the cartilage damage is extensive or involves multiple areas of the knee. It may be justified in a young individual with limited disease. It is an expensive, time consuming process with a long recovery. This is limited to small isolated areas of cartilage damage in knees (not approved for hip arthritis) and usually offered to young patients who have better healing potential. There are legitimate methodologies which harvest our own cartilage cells to be grown or multiplied in a culture and then re-implanted. There are numerous treatment options which try to harness or unlock our own cells ability to regenerate joint hyaline cartilage. As the osteoarthritic condition progresses, it will deform the joint, alter the bone structure and compromise one’s independence and mobility.Įach of us has unique DNA which wholes the recipe and promise to re-create this special hyaline cartilage. Treatments to restore it are limited and reserved for early stage degeneration and joints with a limited area of arthritic disease. Once the degeneration of the cartilage lining a joint begins, it unfortunately progresses. Hyaline cartilage is not self-repairing and, when damaged progressively breaks down, resulting in pain, stiffness, diminished movement, and degrades one’s quality of life. In a healthy joint, hyaline cartilage acts as a lubricant, decreasing friction and distributing joint reactive forces. Osteoarthritis occurs when hyaline cartilage, a specialized tissue that covers the ends of the bones in a joint, is damaged and progressively wears away to the point of “bone on bone” friction. It is the most common cause of deterioration in hip and knee joints the lifetime risk of being diagnosed with arthritis is 40% and one in two individuals will develop a symptomatic OA knee by age 85 years old. An estimated 50 million Americans have osteoarthritis (OA).