Stem Cell Joint Injection
Stem cells are a type of cell found throughout the body. They are able to replicate and develop into other types of specialized cells like tissue, muscle, cartilage, and blood. Stem cells are integral to repair and maintenance of tissues.
(Currently only available at our Las Vegas location.)
Recent discoveries in the medical use of human stem cells has revealed tremendous healing abilities when injected within and around injured joints.
What is stem cell joint injection?
Stem cell joint injection is a type of medical therapy in which your stem cells (found in the umbilical cord, bone marrow, and fat cells) are extracted and injected into an injured joint to accelerate healing and tissue regeneration.
Stem cell injections can be useful in treating
- Arthritis
- Injuries to tendons, ligaments, and cartilage
- Bone fractures
- Osteoarthritis
- Cartilage defects
How does stem cell joint injection work?
First, you’ll come to our office for a consultation to see if stem cell joint injection is right for you. If so, we’ll develop a treatment and recovery protocol for your procedure and schedule appointments.
Our stem cell joint injection appointments take about two hours. They are done right here in our Las Vegas office using local anesthesia. Typically, we harvest stem cells from your fat. (However, for some patients, bone marrow may be the best option.) After the stem cells have been extracted, we clean, separate, and resize the tissue for injection. Then, we guide the cells into the joint using ultrasound for utmost precision.
What to expect after stem cell joint injection
Although your joint will feel good right after surgery thanks to the anesthesia, once that wears off it will become swollen and stiff. This is your body’s normal healing response and is to be expected. You’ll receive pain medication for the first few days after the procedure to help with the discomfort.
Most patients experience about 95% recovery within the first two weeks. But, as in any injury recovery, the healing continues for several months as the stem cells grow, multiply, and integrate into the damaged joint and surrounding tissue.
How long do stem cell joint injections last?
Since stem cell therapies are very new, there are no long-term studies available. However, recent studies show promising results out to two years, including increased cartilage growth and 50% or greater improvement on movement and function.
For some patients, a follow up treatment may be necessary.
