The stem cell treatment for osteoarthritis of the knees and hips … Can it work?
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common arthritis in adults and affects approximately 40 million Americans. It is a disease that affects articular cartilage, the cartilage that caps the ends of bones long.
Osteoarthritis is a disease-bearing joints such as the neck, lower back, hips and knees.
As the capacity walk is entirely on the proper functioning of the legs, the impact of osteoarthritis in the hips and knees, can not be excluded. In fact, it is estimated that more than 100,000 Americans can not walk independently from his bed to the bathroom.
The treatment center for this disease focused primarily on pain and changes in lifestyle. A weight control, exercise, physical therapy, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories have been the mainstays of treatment. For patients with more serious problems, injections corticosteroids (cortisone) and viscosupplement used.
Unfortunately, these measures, while appeasement, aid in controlling of symptoms only. There were no treatments have been conclusively shown to regenerate damaged cartilage and cartilage healing.
Glucosamine and chondroitin preparations have shown a modest effect on the maintenance of cartilage … but studies have shown conflicting evidence on the amount of improvement.
Recently, however, has been a growing interest in using stem cells as possible treatment modality for this disease.
The use of cells is controversial fetal stem … However, there is another good source of adult stem cells to escape controversy.
In the case of stem cells? They are the precursors which means that it is the first Cell Shape. Stem cells (SC) is made in the bone marrow and pluropotential. This means they can differentiate into any tissue cell type. Stem cells are responsible for growth and healing.
The adult-type embryos free and can create some specific body as tissues, cartilage and bone.
So how are adult stem cells obtained? According to Dr. Nathan Wei, "cells mother adults take advantage of the posterior iliac crest of the pelvis (in the back of the pelvis. Under local anesthesia with ultrasound guidance, a needle biopsy small inserts. A syringe attached to the needle and is used to remove stem cells from bone marrow. "Dr. Wei He continues:" The cells mother prepared a concentrated using a centrifuge technique specifically developed participatory. "
"At the same time also remove the patient's blood to isolate platelet-rich plasma. The platelet-rich plasma contains specific growth factors that promote the regeneration of collagen, a major component of cartilage, "he added.
He continued: "Then you come to the knee with another small needle with anesthetic local and "fun" of cartilage and tendons that are the source of arthritis … and the source of a lot of the pain, all under the guidance of ultrasound. When finished, we will inject stem cells and platelet-rich plasma. End result is the regeneration of cartilage.
According to most experts, possible side effects are minimal. "Most patients are surprised by speed, is active again. The advantage of stem cell therapy is that it is as have a new set of tires. Unlike to get a knee replacement, you can return to aerobics and running, "said Dr. Wei.
Dr. Wei said: "The advantage is that the patient is his own donor and provides its own therapy. It is a bit like a blood transfusion for you."
Given that cells are not foreign to the body, engineered or manipulated in any form, no risk of infection or rejection when the isolated cells back into the body.
Mr. Wei has to offer a warning. "The procedure is best for patients in the 30-60 years age range. When patients are older, its cartilage-cartilage cells do not respond as well to stimulation by stem cells and platelet-rich plasma. "
About the Author
Nathan Wei, MD FACP FACR is a board-cerfied rheumatologist. For more info:
Arthritis Treatment
or
Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland