Regenerative Medicine
The ultimate goal of regenerative medicine is to jumpstart the body’s own healing capabilities to restore tissues that have been damaged or degraded due to injuries, age, disease or congenital defects.
Stem cell therapies are frequently mentioned in the press as the cutting-edge of regenerative medicine due in large part to the dramatic restorative results they have the potential to deliver. Stem cells are unique in that they are, to put it simply, the building blocks with which specialized cells are created.
Stem cells are the only cell type that have the innate ability to generate new specialized cells. This essentially gives them the ability to replace, or regenerate, damaged or diseased cells.
From an orthopaedic standpoint, stem cells are often used to treat spinal cord injuries and osteoarthritis.
Stem cells are found in bone marrow and other tissues, such as fat.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
Platelet-rich plasma therapies, another type of regenerative treatment option, have received significant positive press in recent years due to its growing popularity with professional athletes. Like stem cell therapies, this treatment is derived from the patient’s own body – in this case, their blood.
This treatment is essentially an enhanced version of what your body would normally do in the event of trauma. The body’s healing response to tissue damage involves white blood cells and platelets. Platelets contain growth factors that are responsible for tissue regeneration.
Platelet-rich plasma is created by extracting and then concentrating the platelets and white blood cells. This plasma is then injected into the damaged tissues to encourage a highly targeted and enhanced regenerative response.
The orthopaedic physicians at Barbour Orthopaedics have extensive experience with platelet-rich plasma injections and can help educate you on the benefits of this therapy and the potential results you can expect.
AmnioFix®
AmnioFix is a dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane (dHACM) that is applied to surgical sites to assist with healing and reduce scar tissue formation. AmnioFix is made in part from human tissue and is processed according to strict guidelines and the standards of the American Association of Tissue Banks and the Public Health Service Act.
This cutting-edge bioactive tissue matrix contains an array of specialty proteins, including growth factors, cytokines and multiple extracellular matrix proteins. In addition to enhancing healing and reducing the formation of scar tissue, this barrier membrane also helps modulate inflammation for more comfort and an improved rate of recovery.