What is Stem Cell Therapy? Is it an Alternative to Knee Replacement Surgery?

What is Stem Cell Therapy?

What is Stem Cell Therapy? Stem cell therapy, also known as regenerative medicine, supports the repair response of diseased, defective or injured tissue by using stem cells. For over 30 years it has been used to treat people with certain cancer diagnoses’ and as of more recent, osteoarthritis. It is the next phase in organ transplantation and uses cells instead of donor organs, to aid in regenerating damaged or low functioning organs. This is very beneficial due to the very limited supply of donors and does not result in years of waiting on a donor list to meet the demands of people in need of transplants.

At Tampa Rejuvenation, we use the stem cells derived from the umbilical cord after a cesarean section. These stage zero cells are known as Mesenchymal Stem Cells or MSC. The reason why we use this specific type of stem cell is because it contains the highest level of growth factors, with a negligible likelihood of reaction due to the nature of the cells. 

Unlike the adult stem cells found in bone marrow and fat which are already differentiated and very limited on what they can become, MSC is undifferentiated and can become any type of cell within the body. 

These stage zero cells can be used to treat many different areas of need such as speeding up recovery time and repair from injuries, creating new tissues, and also reducing and alleviating pain. It is our goal that with stem cell treatment we can improve your quality of life, provide pain relief and improve your overall daily function. 

How Stem Cell Therapy Works

In America today, thousands of people undergo knee replacements every day. Until recently, treatment options were either short-lived, like cortisone injections or opioid medications, or required surgery. 

Surgery can involve weeks to months out of work and an extensive healing process with regular physical therapy visits to ensure a range of motion. Now with stem cell therapy as an option, many people are able to experience a reduction of pain in their knees as well as the repairing of damaged cartilage.  

As a result, numerous people have been able to improve their quality of life and avoid having to undergo surgery entirely.

Knee pain and arthritis, which is inflammation of the joint, can be caused by many factors such as weight gain, injury, genetics or cartilage damage. The way the treatment works is a minimally invasive procedure in which an injection of Platelet Rich Plasma, your body’s own growth factors, is combined with MSC and injected into the area of the knee where treatment is needed. 

The efficacy of the treatment is higher than 90%, requires no downtime, and the associated discomfort is very short-lived. Patients will be able to see results within the first couple hours with persistent improvement for months after the procedure as your new, healthy cells develop and replicate. No more inflammation and stiffness, instability and weakness, or overall inability to fully extend the knee. The overall goal, in the end, is to relieve chronic pain and improve your quality of life. 

If you have questions, feel free to call us today at (813) 558-9500. We can help with your health goals!