What is stem cell therapy?
According to Dr. Rocky Tuan, former head of the Cartilage Biology section at the National Institutes of Health, “…stem cell- based strategies should provide practical advantages for the patient with OA. The use of stem cells in combination with bioactive substrates… has significant clinical potential and is likely to be important in future cartilage-repair technologies.” This is the philosophy of our center.
The stem cell program at the Arthritis Treatment Center is called the Guided Missile procedure, standing for guided mesenchymal stem cell layering technique. Autologous stem cells (a patient’s own stem cells) combined with platelet rich plasma and autologous fat are sequentially placed using precise ultrasound guidance in the area of osteoarthritis. The goal is to repair articular cartilage and help patients regain their mobility without having to resort to joint replacement surgery.
How well regarded is our program? This is a direct quote from Don Margolis, the Chairman of the Repair Stem Cell Institute…”of our 9 approved centers, Arthritis Treatment Center becomes only the second to match Theravitae (2005) in pretreatment and treatment patient service.”
Howard T.
A 61 year old man with a four and a half year history of chronic right knee pain due to osteoarthritis presented to the Arthritis Treatment Center in July 17, 2009. He had had prior treatment with anti-inflammatory medicines, corticosteroid injections, and viscosupplements.
His baseline weight bearing knee x-ray is shown on the left dated January 7, 2009.
The following is the text of an email received in August 2010.
“I just came back from my orthopedist, I had a cortisone injection in my left knee. Not the knee you performed the procedure on. Anyway I asked if he could take an x-ray of my right knee and compare it to my last x-ray done on 1/7/09. Attached are both x-rays. Can Dr. Wei take a look and give me an opinion. My orthopedist said he sees growth…”
The follow up x-ray is dated August 25, 2010.