For patients suffering from back pain, there are a number of treatments that can be suggested. Although surgeries of the spine, such as ‘fusions’ or ‘laminectomies’, can sound daunting and invasive, in some instances they are necessary steps to help patient return to a functioning lifestyle. For some patients, these surgeries are successful and patients can resume living their lives pain free. However, for other patients, the pain level post procedure is similar to what was experienced prior to having a surgical procedure of the spine. If surgery fails to resolve the patients pain, are all options exhausted? Are these patients destined to continue with life-limiting pain?
Luckily, StemCell ARTS is able to provide several regenerative treatment options that have helped our patients say “good-bye” to their post-surgical pain. Our procedure use the patients’ body’s own biologics to help itself heal. Our trained phlebotomists take a sample of the patients’ blood and process this, by hand, in the lab found in each of the StemCell ARTS offices. The blood is placed into a centrifuge that spins the blood at high speeds to separate the platelets from red blood cells. Those platelets are further processed and concentrated depending on their specific use. In Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), the platelets are injected into, and around the point of injury to jump start the body’s natural healing curve. For Platelet Lysate (PL), the platelets are frozen and broken open for immediate release. PL is recommended by the regenerative physician when PRP may be expected to cause too much inflammation. PL may also be suggested if the patient needs prompt relief since this procedure is comparable to a cortisone injection, but with the body’s own platelets in lieu of steroids.
One patient shares his story about how StemCell ARTS helped him regain his life following his spinal decompression surgery. When surgery failed to provide the necessary pain relief, Judge Thomas Moore sought the regenerative procedures offered at StemCell ARTS. Read more to see how our procedures changed Judge Moore’s life!
Low back pain is one of the most common issues seen see at StemCell ARTS. The physicians perform a comprehensive exam to determine the cause of the back pain. Once the cause has been identified, the next step is to formulate a treatment plan to address the diagnosed condition. Fortunately, Regenexx procedures are revolutionizing the way the regenerative physicians at StemCell ARTS approach those problems. StemCell ARTS, with offices in Tysons Corner, Virginia and Chevy Chase, Maryland, have several regenerative procedures that can be utilized to combat low back pain.
Regenerative Treatment Options
Prolotherapy, Platelet Rich Plasma, and Platelet Lysate are all common injections utilized in the StemCell ARTS offices. Due to the specialized method in which the regenerative samples are processed, the physicians at StemCell ARTS are able to design a customized treatment plan to treat the specific patient and condition. These procedures are utilized to treat a wide range of diagnoses. This includes everything from minor strains and sprains, to varying degrees of Spinal Stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal). The procedures are done in the physician office, under local anesthesia. The procedures are very similar to interventional treatments, such as epidural cortisone injections, but use regenerative materials in lieu of steroids. The video below shows a complex disc treatment performed Dr. Pitts in the Broomfield, Colorado clinic. The procedure shown in the video is very similar to the disc treatments, using platelets instead of stem cells.
Don’t start 2017 wrestling with the same back pain that had you sidelined in 2016. Visit StemCell ARTS, where the phsysicians take extra care to diagnose the underlying cause of the back pain, leading to more focused and effective treatment options. In addition, the physicians are able to offer regenerative treatments, such as Platelet Rich Plasma and Platelet Lysate. These procedures can help patients who have failed , or those who may not be able to receive, traditional interventions for one reason or another.
Back pain is a broad term that can encompass a variety of conditions. Is the back pain related to the facet joints? What about the epidural spaces or the disc? Sometimes, determining the cause of back pain can be difficult, resulting in treatments that can be insufficient. Often, patients are treated with well-known, traditional treatments when they cite back pain as their primary area of discomfort. These treatments can include steroid injections, physical therapy, surgical intervention, bracing, etc. But what happens when those treatments fail to provide long-term relief? What happens when patients have residual pain following surgery? StemCell ARTS has alternative treatments that can help!
Listen to Dr. Wagner describe different causes of back pain, how the physicans at StemCell ARTS develop accurate diagnoses, and some of the regenerative treatment options.
Patients frequently ask how the physicians at StemCell ARTS stand out from other physicians performing regenerative procedures. A recent chapter written by Dr. Mayo Friedlis and Regenexx founder, Dr. Chris Centeno, provides evidence to help answer that question. Dr. Friedlis and Dr. Centeno co-wrote a chapter for the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America journal focusing on regenerative medicine. Specifically, this chapter focuses on how to perform a better bone marrow aspiration.
Bone marrow aspirations are a crucial step in the stem cell procedure process offered at StemCell ARTS. The stem cell series of injection is a three step process completed during span of 7-10 days. There is one injection every 2-5 days. The second visit of the series is the stem cell procedure. The patient comes to the office in the morning for the stem cell aspiration. This procedure typically takes about an hour. It takes approximately two hours to process the sample and the patient returns to the office that same day for the reinjection of the stem cells into the injured area. The reinjection can take anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour. Performing a successful and efficient bone marrow aspiration is essential to promoting the best possible sample for reinjection. Factors that StemCell ARTS physicians utilize to perform a better bone marrow aspiration includes the use of guidance, both fluoroscopic and ultrasound, newer techniques to help yield higher stem cell counts, patient preparation, proper equipment, and numerous other considerations.
When contemplating stem cell treatment for an injury or disorder of the spine or joints, it is important to ensure that the physician is applying proper techniques. The alternative could include a subpar bone marrow aspiration that would result in a less than optimal reinjection sample. If a patient is going to incur the cost and the commitment to undergo a stem cell procedure, the physicians at StemCell ARTS make sure they have the technology and skills to create the best experience for the patient and offer the best chance for success following the procedure. If you are thinking about stem cell treatment for your musculoskeletal injuries, consider StemCell ARTS and a physician who literally “wrote the book” on the topic.
Regenerative procedures are becoming more popular with the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries. Degenerative conditions, such as arthritis, are common conditions that motivate patients to research the physicians at StemCell ARTS. One of the most frequently asked questions the office gets when patients inquire about regenerative treatments for their ailment is, “Am I still a candidate for regenerative procedures if I am bone-on-bone?”. The short answer is that candidates who have been told that they are “bone-on-bone” can still respond well to the regenerative treatments performed at StemCell ARTS. Often, patients are given the diagnosis on “bone-on-bone” following a x-ray of the area. While x-rays are helpful for showing the narrowing of the space between two joints, it does not show any soft tissues. The regenerative procedures are designed to help repair any lost or damaged soft tissue. As a result, MRIs will often be ordered for patients who have not had a MRI completed within the past few years. The MRI images provide more detailed information regarding the condition of the soft tissue, as opposed to only showing the condition of the bones on x-ray. The MRIs will sometime show that there is, in fact, cartilage present even though the joint space is considerably narrowed.
During the initial visit, the physicians at StemCell ARTS will perform a comprehensive exam of the area in question. If additional images, such as MRIs, are requested, the physician will provide the patient with an order to have this imaging completed at the location of their choice. Based on the exam and the imaging, the physician is able to make an informed decision regarding whether or not a patient will respond well to regenerative treatments. If the physician determines that the injury is outside the scope of what can be completed with regenerative therapies, he will make recommendations for the patient regarding their next steps.
In the video below, Dr. Friedlis goes into further detail regarding regenerative treatments for patients who are “bone-on-bone”.
StemCell ARTS is an Affiliate of National Spine and Pain Centers
If the regenerative treatment options offered by StemCell ARTS are not right for you, National Spine and Pain Centers provide more traditional treatments for spine and joint conditions.
