Regenerative Medicine

Description

Regenerative medicine is a branch of medicine that uses methods to regrow, repair or replace damaged or diseased cells, organs or tissues. At Monterey Spine & Joint we utilize this science coupled with minimally invasive techniques to offer our patients an alternative to surgery. There are many different forms of regenerative medicine, at Monterey Spine & Joint we currently offer Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), Stem Cells and Chondrocyte harvesting treatments. In our state-of-the-art orthopedic practice, we utilize these techniques to help repair damaged and worn ligaments, tendons, cartilage and joints. To find out if regenerative medicine is right for you, make an appointment with one of our expert physicians and get back to living your best life!

Treatment

• Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)- Platelets are cells which exist naturally in our blood and their primary function is wound healing. When certain tissues are damaged such as a tendon or ligament, healing is hindered by a lack of blood flow, and this prevents platelets from being able to do their job. To perform PRP therapy we first harvest your body’s own platelets via a routine blood draw. We then isolate and concentrate the platelets into an injectate that is then placed into the area of interest using image guidance via ultrasound or fluoroscopy. PRP therapy can be used anywhere in the body where tissue is damaged but not destroyed.
• Stem Cell Therapy- Stem cells are precursor cells that have the capacity to self- renew and generate multiple mature cell types. These cells can be harvested via your bodies adipose or bone marrow. The stem cells are then isolated and concentrated into an injectate which is introduced into the area of interest using image guidance. Stem cells are also sourced from pre-formed injectate via allogenic amniotic fluid for select patients. Stem cell therapy is used when tissue (primarily joints) have been destroyed as seen with age related deterioration or trauma.
• Matrix-induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (MACI)- MACI is a procedure in which a patient’s own cells are used to regrow new cartilage for a knee joint. After the cartilage cells (chondrocytes) are harvested via arthroscopy, they are then sent to a laboratory and embedded on a collagen membrane where they are regrown. Once the cells have grown to maturity your doctor will implant them over the damaged knee joint. MACI therapy is currently used for damaged knee joints only.