Stem Cell Overview

Cell therapy is a powerful form of medical care that uses cells to treat illness and injury. Popular cell therapies include mesenchymal stem cells, bone marrow and platelet rich plasma. Studies have tied cell therapy to improvements of up to 50% in joint pain and disability.^[1]

Cell therapy uses live human cells to replace or repair damaged cells and tissues. It may involve transplanting cells through surgery or injecting cells into a joint. Cell therapies can come from many different sources including blood, bone marrow and umbilical cord blood. Doctors use cell therapy to treat many conditions, including arthritis, back pain and broken bones.

Some experts believe cell therapy can provide longer-lasting relief in certain conditions. They attribute this to the cells’ ability to help address the root cause of pain and disability. Cell therapies may help slow degenerative processes such as arthritis. Some cell therapies may also encourage regeneration of damaged tissue.

Cell therapy is a powerful form of medical care that uses cells to treat illness and injury. Popular cell therapies include mesenchymal stem cells, bone marrow and platelet rich plasma. Studies have tied cell therapy to improvements of up to 50% in joint pain and disability.^[2]

Cell therapy is a powerful form of medical care that uses cells to treat illness and injury. Popular cell therapies include mesenchymal stem cells, bone marrow and platelet rich plasma. Studies have tied cell therapy to improvements of up to 50% in joint pain and disability.^[3]

Cell therapy uses live human cells to replace or repair damaged cells and tissues. It may involve transplanting cells through surgery or injecting cells into a joint. Cell therapies can come from many different sources including blood, bone marrow and umbilical cord blood. Doctors use cell therapy to treat many conditions, including arthritis, back pain and broken bones,

Some experts believe cell therapy can provide longer-lasting relief in certain conditions. They attribute this to the cells’ ability to help address the root cause of pain and disability. Cell therapies may help slow degenerative processes such as arthritis. Some cell therapies may also encourage regeneration of damaged tissue.

Cell therapy is a powerful form of medical care that uses cells to treat illness and injury. Popular cell therapies include mesenchymal stem cells, bone marrow and platelet rich plasma. Studies have tied cell therapy to improvements of up to 50% in joint pain and disability.^[4]

Buda R, Castagnini F, Cavallo M, Ramponi L, Vannini F, Giannini S. “One-step” bone marrow-derived cells transplantation and joint debridement for osteochondral lesions of the talus in ankle osteoarthritis: clinical and radiological outcomes at 36 months. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2016 Jan;136(1):107-16. doi: 10.1007/s00402-015-2344-1

Centeno CJ, Al-Sayegh H, Bashir J, Goodyear S, Freeman MD. A dose response analysis of a specific bone marrow concentrate treatment protocol for knee osteoarthritis. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2015;16:258. Published 2015 Sep 18. doi:10.1186/s12891-015-0714-z

Centeno CJ, Al-Sayegh H, Bashir J, Goodyear S, Freeman MD. A prospective multi-site registry study of a specific protocol of autologous bone marrow concentrate for the treatment of shoulder rotator cuff tears and osteoarthritis. J Pain Res. 2015;8:269-276. Published 2015 Jun 5. doi:10.2147/JPR.S80872

Centeno C, Pitts J, Al-Sayegh H, Freeman M. Efficacy of autologous bone marrow concentrate for knee osteoarthritis with and without adipose graft. Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:370621. doi:10.1155/2014/370621

Hernigou P, Bouthors C, Bastard C, Flouzat Lachaniette CH, Rouard H, Dubory A. Subchondral bone or intra-articular injection of bone marrow concentrate mesenchymal stem cells in bilateral knee osteoarthritis: what better postpone knee arthroplasty at fifteen years? A randomized study. Int Orthop. 2021 Feb;45(2):391-399. doi: 10.1007/s00264-020-04687-7

Hernigou P, Delambre J, Quiennec S, Poignard A. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell injection in subchondral lesions of knee osteoarthritis: a prospective randomized study versus contralateral arthroplasty at a mean fifteen year follow-up. Int Orthop. 2021 Feb;45(2):365-373. doi: 10.1007/s00264-020-04571-4

Hernigou P, Flouzat Lachaniette CH, Delambre J, Zilber S, Duffiet P, Chevallier N, Rouard H. Biologic augmentation of rotator cuff repair with mesenchymal stem cells during arthroscopy improves healing and prevents further tears: a case-controlled study. Int Orthop. 2014 Sep;38(9):1811-8. doi: 10.1007/s00264-014-2391-1

Pettine KA, Suzuki RK, Sand TT, Murphy MB. Autologous bone marrow concentrate intradiscal injection for the treatment of degenerative disc disease with three-year follow-up. Int Orthop. 2017 Oct;41(10):2097-2103. doi: 10.1007/s00264-017-3560-9

Rosário DAV, Faleiro TB, Franco BAFM, Daltro GC, Marchetto R. COMPARISON BETWEEN CONCENTRATED BONE MARROW ASPIRATE AND CORTICOID IN GLUTEAL TENDINOPATHY. Acta Ortop Bras. 2021;29(1):26-29. doi:10.1590/1413-785220212901236828

Whitney KE, Briggs KK, Chamness C, et al. Bone Marrow Concentrate Injection Treatment Improves Short-term Outcomes in Symptomatic Hip Osteoarthritis Patients: A Pilot Study. Orthop J Sports Med. 2020;8(12):2325967120966162. Published 2020 Dec 9. doi:10.1177/2325967120966162