Stem Cell Injections – Valley Sports Physicians & Orthopedic …

One of the most exciting recent developments in the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal conditions is the use of adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).

Drs. Tortland & Kozar were the first in New England to offer this treatment and they remain the region's leaders in office-based stem cell treatment for musculoskeletal conditions.

Stem Cells are undifferentiated cells that have the potential to become other, more specialized types of cells. Stem cells are broadly categorized as either "embryonic" or "adult." As the name implies, embryonic stem cells are derived from human fetuses, whereas adult stem cells are obtained from, well, adults!

Currently there are over 70 proven therapies using adult stem cells, while there are none using embryonic stem cells. This is in part because scientists have had tremendous difficulty controlling how embryonic stem cells differentiate; they have a nasty habit of causing tumor formation, including teratomas. Adult stem cells, on the other hand, do not suffer from this pitfall. Mesenchymal stem cells, or MSCs, are multipotent stem cells that can differentiate into a variety of cell types, including: osteoblasts (bone cells), chondrocytes (cartilage cells) and adipocytes (fat cells). This has been demonstrated in ex vivo cultures and in vitro or in vivo. MSCs are obtained from the bone marrow, most commonly the back of the iliac crest (the "hip bone"), and less commonly from the tibia (the shin bone).

MSCs can differentiate into many different cell types, as indicated in the diagram below.

Harvesting MSCs for injection therapy is done right in the office. The skin is numbed first with a little Novocain. Next, the hip bone is numbed with more Novocain. A special needle is then passed through the cortex of the bone into the marrow cavity. This is a painless procedure in most cases. The liquid marrow is then very slowly drawn into a syringe. Once an adequate amount of liquid marrow is obtained, the needle is removed and a bandage applied.

The syringe containing the liquid marrow next is placed in a special centrifuge. The marrow is spun and the stem cells are highly concentrated and passed into a new syringe from which the injection(s) are given.

The entire procedure takes about an hour and is minimally uncomfortable.

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Stem Cell Injections - Valley Sports Physicians & Orthopedic ...