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Orthopedics
Osteoarthritis
Sometimes called degenerative joint disease or degenerative arthritis, osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic condition of the joints, affecting approximately 27 million Americans. OA can affect any joint, but it occurs most often in knees, hips, lower back and neck, small joints of the fingers and the bases of the thumb and big toe.
In OA, the cartilage breaks down, causing pain, swelling and problems moving the joint. As OA worsens over time, bones may break down and develop growths called spurs. Bits of bone or cartilage may chip off and float around in the joint.
In the body, an inflammatory process occurs and cytokines (proteins) and enzymes develop that further damage the cartilage. In the final stages of OA, the cartilage wears away and bone rubs against bone leading to joint damage and more pain.
The stem cell therapy used at the International Stem Cell Institute® is designed to target these areas within the joints to help with the creation of new cartilage cells. As mesenchymal stem cells are multipotent they have the ability to differentiate into cartilage called (chondrocytes). The goal of each stem cell treatment is to inject the stem cells into the joint to create cartilage (chondrocyte cells). Stem cells are also a natural anti inflammatory, which can assist with osteoarthritis pain and swelling in the joint area. These procedures may help patients who don’t respond to typical drug treatment, want to reduce their reliance on medication or are looking to try stem cell therapy before starting drug treatment
Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs), which have the ability to differentiate into cells of the chondrogenic lineage, have emerged as a candidate cell type with great potential for cell-based articular cartilage repair technologies. UCMSCs can readily culture-expanded without losing their multi lineage differentiation potential, and have been induced to undergo chondrogenic differentiation in vitro and in vivo. Unlike chondrocytes, the use of MSCs is not hindered by the limited availability of healthy articular cartilage or an intrinsic tendency of the cells to lose their phenotype during expansion. The use of MSCs also obviates the need for a cartilage biopsy and, thereby, avoids morbidity caused by damage to the donor-site articular surface.
About the treatment
Contrary to other Stem Cell treatments based on autologous transplant, where the stem cells are as old as the patient’s age and carry all the information accumulated through their life, at the International Stem Cell Institute®, we use donor umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) instead of bone marrow or fat tissue-derived. In our laboratory, umbilical cord MSCs can undergo approximately twice the number of “doublings” as their adult-derived bone marrow or fat tissue counterparts. The overall hypothesis is that UCMS cells possess immune properties that would be permissive to allogeneic transplantation. For example, UCMS cells will suppress the proliferation of “stimulated” lymphocytes (immune suppression) and have reduced immunogenicity (e.g., would be poor stimulators of allogeneic lymphocyte proliferation).
Mesenchymal stem cells are progenitors for several connective tissue cell lineages, including bone, cartilage, muscle, fat, and bone marrow. As mesenchymal stem cells can target diseased organs, they may hold potential as vehicles capable of expressing and secreting proteins with therapeutic effects. These conditions are ailments and disorders in muscles, ligaments, and joints. Common examples include Rheumatoid Arthritis, degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, and various injuries like fractures and torn cartilage.
International Stem Cell Institute® Stem Cell Procedures
Help overcome these conditions by extracting stem cells from the umbilical cord, then concentrating and culture the cells and injecting them into the damaged area to help the body heal naturally. Our Stem Cell Procedures can be used for a wide range of conditions and are the tool of choice for injuries, arthritis, and other conditions that may be more significant than those treated with conventional therapies. According to our research, stem cells have self-renewal qualities which aid in reproducing cartilage and bone tissue cells, restoring joint function, and reducing pain. Scientists have discovered that stem cells and specifically allogeneic umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells, are home to inflamed tissue and start producing anti-inflammatory agents. Usually, these cells are harvested from human umbilical cords donated after normal healthy births. This means that stem cell transplants could be used to treat some of the most common osteoarticular symptoms.
- Everything about your International Stem Cell Institute® experience is designed for results.
- At the International Stem Cell Institute®, our priority is to produce the best possible outcomes for our patients.
- And while our protocol is far more complex than you will find at other regenerative medicine clinics, we do not cut corners.
The injection typically takes place three weeks after the UCMSCs are extracted from the umbilical cord. During this time, cells are grown for approximately 15 days and then tested for quality assurance, including sterility testing and karyotype analysis to ensure no genetic abnormalities present in the stem cells. Once the UCMSCs have passed all safety and quality testing, you will be scheduled for the injection procedure. During the injection, the cultured cells are thoroughly tested for quality assurance and injected using guided imaging to ensure the most precise placement of cells into the injured area.
Sports Injuries
Regenerative medicine and stem cell therapies hold much promise for the treatment of various injuries and diseases suffered by sportspeople. Researchers are working on harnessing the process by which stem cells repair and replace damaged tissues and cells.
Almost half of all sports-related injuries are related to muscle contusion and strain. Muscle tissue is comprised of long, tubular cells called myoblasts, which fuse to form muscle fibers. Muscle stem cells, also known as satellite cells are responsible for muscle repair.
During exercise, muscle fibers become damaged and send signals to satellite cells that sit on top of the muscle tissue. In response to these signals the satellite cells become activated, begin to divide, and as well as making copies of themselves, generate new myoblast cells. These myoblasts are then integrated and repair the damaged muscle tissue.
UCMSCs are adult stem cells which, as well as being able to produce copies of themselves, can divide and form bone, cartilage, muscle, and adipose cells when cultured in the appropriate conditions. MSCs produce proteins that are suggested to alter the surrounding environment and promote healing and tissue regeneration, such as anti-inflammatory factors, angiogenic factors (which promote the growth of new blood vessels) and other factors, which stimulate local, tissue-specific stem cells.
There are many types of sports injuries. Sports injuries can involve almost any area of the body. We can group most sports injuries into five categories:
- Bone injuries – including brakes or fracture and “bruising”.
- Soft tissue injuries – including muscle, ligaments, tendons, cartilage and skin scrapes and bruises.
- Joint injuries – including dislocations, separations and post-injury arthritis.
- Head injuries – primarily concussions.
- Overuse injuries – usually involve soft tissue or joints but caused by repetitive activities.
Stem cells are being investigated in each of these areas. Some investigations are determining if stem cells speed healing and recovery.
Stem cells are typically deployed by injection into the affected area(s) and intravenously (IV). Early investigations suggest that using both local injections and IV deployment enhances the outcomes. Most of the injection sites such as most soft tissue and joints can be done directly at Innovations Medical. Some such as injections in the back or neck require special imaging and are done at a separate location where radiologic imaging like CT scan is available. Typically all of these injections and the IV are done under local anesthesia without the need for sedation.
About the treatment
Contrary to other Stem Cell treatments based on autologous transplant, where the stem cells are as old as the patient’s age and carry all the information accumulated through their life, at the International Stem Cell Institute®, we use donor umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) instead of bone marrow or fat tissue-derived. In our laboratory, umbilical cord MSCs can undergo approximately twice the number of “doublings” as their adult-derived bone marrow or fat tissue counterparts. The overall hypothesis is that UCMS cells possess immune properties that would be permissive to allogeneic transplantation. For example, UCMS cells will suppress the proliferation of “stimulated” lymphocytes (immune suppression) and have reduced immunogenicity (e.g., would be poor stimulators of allogeneic lymphocyte proliferation).
Mesenchymal stem cells are progenitors for several connective tissue cell lineages, including bone, cartilage, muscle, fat, and bone marrow. As mesenchymal stem cells can target diseased organs, they may hold potential as vehicles capable of expressing and secreting proteins with therapeutic effects. These conditions are ailments and disorders in muscles, ligaments, and joints. Common examples include Rheumatoid Arthritis, degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, and various injuries like fractures and torn cartilage.
International Stem Cell Institute® Stem Cell Procedures
Help overcome these conditions by extracting stem cells from the umbilical cord, then concentrating and culture the cells and injecting them into the damaged area to help the body heal naturally. Our Stem Cell Procedures can be used for a wide range of conditions and are the tool of choice for injuries, arthritis, and other conditions that may be more significant than those treated with conventional therapies. According to our research, stem cells have self-renewal qualities which aid in reproducing cartilage and bone tissue cells, restoring joint function, and reducing pain. Scientists have discovered that stem cells and specifically allogeneic umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells, are home to inflamed tissue and start producing anti-inflammatory agents. Usually, these cells are harvested from human umbilical cords donated after normal healthy births. This means that stem cell transplants could be used to treat some of the most common osteoarticular symptoms.
- Everything about your International Stem Cell Institute® experience is designed for results.
- At the International Stem Cell Institute®, our priority is to produce the best possible outcomes for our patients.
- And while our protocol is far more complex than you will find at other regenerative medicine clinics, we do not cut corners.
The injection typically takes place three weeks after the UCMSCs are extracted from the umbilical cord. During this time, cells are grown for approximately 15 days and then tested for quality assurance, including sterility testing and karyotype analysis to ensure no genetic abnormalities present in the stem cells. Once the UCMSCs have passed all safety and quality testing, you will be scheduled for the injection procedure. During the injection, the cultured cells are thoroughly tested for quality assurance and injected using guided imaging to ensure the most precise placement of cells into the injured area.
Regenerative & Functional Medicine! We offer innovative solutions to enhance your health and well-being through stem cell therapy.
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