Widgetized Section

Go to Admin » Appearance » Widgets » and move Gabfire Widget: Social into that MastheadOverlay zone

Stem cell therapy helps recovery after meniscus knee surgery

By
June 2, 2014, 7:42 am

Modern medicine is undergoing rapid development where the field of restorative and regenerative treatments leads the trend. Stem cell therapy represents the movement, and here at ThriveMD, we are proud to be directed by a reputed expert in the field, Dr Scott Brandt, MD. In this article, we’ll present some recent findings and studies on how stem cell therapy helps recovery after meniscus knee surgery. Meniscus injuries are representative examples of stem cell application in orthopedics.

Dr. Scott Brandt, ThriveMD

Dr. Scott Brandt, ThriveMD

Let us first state that as the global body of physicians and researchers, we have yet to gain better knowledge of human body and the way it performs over time. That is why we try to provide our patients with as much relevant information as possible and help them make educated, grounded decisions. Below, we start off by describing the relationship between stem cell therapy and knee surgery, then move on to how stem cell therapy helps recovery after meniscus knee surgery.

The first application of stem cell therapy relevant to meniscus pain is when a patient opts for the regenerative method and completely omits arthroscopy. Medical research papers from 2002, 2008 and 2013 published in The New England Journal of Medicine bring insights on how for older patients, whose meniscus is frayed through simple wear and tear as opposed to a specific injury, arthroscopy may be ineffective. In a recent study conducted in Finland, even patients that suffered impacts and sports injuries resulting in meniscus tear, only experienced questionable benefits of meniscus arthroscopy. As the results demonstrated, half of the patients underwent a sham surgical procedure, the other half a real one, but both groups reported roughly same results.

Does that mean that knee arthroscopy should be completely abandoned? No. Knee arthroscopy is the most common orthopedic procedure in the United States and it would be wrong to try and scare every single patient away from it. It is better to view stem cell therapy as an alternative, where the mechanical and invasive is substituted by regenerative. To make the best choice for yourself, it is important to ask for multiple opinions, research a variety of information sources on possible causes and treatments, find out if arthroscopy is necessary or if there is still something else you can do, and ultimately, consult with people who have had similar problems. Testimonials of ThriveMD’s stem cell therapy patients show that the method is highly effective in pain relief and regrowth of cartilage, commonly making surgery obsolete.

Another application of stem cell therapy relevant to meniscus pain is when a patient opts for the method to help recovery after undergoing meniscus knee surgery. In a recent, unique study titled ”Adult Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC) Delivered via Intra-Articular Injection to the Knee, Following Partial Medial Meniscectomy,” and published in the January issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, stem cell therapy was highly effective in pain relief. The results of this study suggest that mesenchymal stem cells have the potential to improve the overall condition of the knee joint. Most patients who received a single injection of adult stem cells following the surgical removal of all or part of a torn meniscus, reported a significant reduction in pain. Surgeons also conclude that a series of injections instead of just one would yield even more significant results.

Pain relief due to stem cell therapy was achieved in two ways – regrowing cartilage, or meniscus mass, and speeding up of the natural knee recovery process.

We will be happy to see you; stop by at ThriveMD or contact us so we can discuss how our restorative and regenerative clinic can help your specific case. Our patients come from all corners of the nation and we will be excited to include you in the list of new smiles we helped.

Dr. Scott Brandt of ThriveMD practices leading edge regenera­tive medicine. He offers stem cell treatments, bioidentical hor­mone replacement, PRP treat­ments, IV nutrient therapies, medical diets and liposculpture. To find out how this exciting new field can change your life, contact ThriveMD at 970.766.VAIL (8245) or visit the website www.thrivemdvail.com.