Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries and Stem Cell Therapy

Ligaments are  dense  fibrous connective tissue which connect bone to bone.  They provide stability to a given joint. The knee has four principal ligaments.  The anterior cruciate ligament stabilizes the knee and prevents forward motion of the tibia (shin bone) in relation to the femur (thigh bone).  The ACL originates from the femur (thigh bone) and is attached to the tibia .

  The ACL is the most commonly injured knee ligament and is very common  in athletes.  Injury occurs during sudden dislocation, torsion or hypter-extension of the knee.  Diagnosis can be made clinically with either the anterior drawer test or Lachman test.  The diagnosis is typically confirmed by MRI.

Surgical options include repair of the damaged ligament vs complete reconstruction with a patient’s own tendon.  Complications from surgery include infection, blood clots, technical failure, damage to muscles, tendons and associated ligaments and the risk of anesthesia.

Mesenchymal stem cells have the ability to regenerate damaged ligaments.  At Centeno-Schultz Clinic using the Regenexx procedure we are utilizing regenerative therapies to treat ACL injuries.  These treatments include the injection of prolotherapy as well as autologous culture expanded mesenchymal stem cells directly into the ACL.  Below is a recent injection of stem cells into the ACL.  30 days post injection patient reports improved stability and decreased pain.

Stem Cell Therapy for Hip Osteoarthritis

 

Just a quick update.  DS is a 55-year-old woman with a several year history of chronic right hip arthritis which referred pain to the groin/thigh.   She was told she was a GOOD-FAIR candidate to have  her own cultured stem cells injected into her hip under x-ray guidance in an effort to avoid the need for a total hip replacement.  This is her e-mail which is about 6 months out from her last procedure:

“I just wanted to let you know my right hip is doing great….I’m back to cycling and doing  four/five 90 minute yoga classes a week.  Compared to where I was last year this time…(when I found it difficult to just walk across the parking lot to your office)… I’m very thankful for the progress. My last stem cell injection on Dec 10, 2009. ..Thanks again.”

At the Centeno-Schultz Clinic culture expanded mesenchymal stem cells are just one of the many regenerative therapies offered.