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Regenerative Medicine & Orthobiologics
Regenerative medicine is an emerging and constantly evolving area of orthopaedic surgery and injury management. The goal is to restore, heal and regenerate native tissue in order to preserve a patient’s own anatomy. In many cases, with traditional management techniques, whether it be surgery or conservative measures; once a person has sustained an injury, the physical structure cannot be restored to its original form without surgery. In some cases even with surgery. Regenerative medicine techniques utilized orthobiologic agents to stimulate the bodies own healing mechanisms by attempting to amplify function of the immune system to regenerate damaged tissue, the body is not otherwise able to heal.
Orthobiologics include stem cells, platelet rich plasma, bone marrow aspirate concentrate, viscosupplementation, and certain growth factors that can be utilized to send biologic signals that recruit stem cells to the affected region. The value of stem cells lies in their ability to differentiate into other types of cells based on the local environment.
Take osteoarthritis as an example of how regenerative medicine and orthobiologics may be beneficial. Osteoarthritis is a pathology that results in joint pain and dysfunction due to loss of cartilage coating the ends of the bone. Traditionally osteoarthritis has been difficult to treat as cartilage cannot be effectively restored once it deteriorates. This is largely due to the lack of ability of a cartilage cell to heal or regenerate once injured. By injecting employing orthobiologics we indicate to the body there is an area of injury that needs to be acutely addressed. This stimulates stem cells to migrate to the region and begin an inflammatory response to heal the damaged tissue. Stems cells, which can be thought of as immature cells or progenitor cells, can then differentiate, or mature, into the desired cell type, for example cartilage cells and thereby restore joint.
This process can be very fruitful in rejuvenating the musculoskeletal system and/or addressing pain and symptomatology. However, it can also be imprecise and sometimes less effective than desired. Therefore it is important to carefully consider the extent of your disease through a discussion with your orthopaedic physician.
- Stem Cells
- Platelet Rich Plasma
- BMAC
- Viscosupplementation
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