Can you use cell therapy in the treatment of joints?
Stem cell treatment of joints is the most studied compared to the treatment of other diseases with stem cells. This therapy helps to thicken the cartilaginous tissue and to eliminate pain. As a result, mobility of the patient is restored.
This process uses the ability of stem cells to regenerate - the injected cells are transformed into any tissue.
What diseases of the joints are treated with stem cells?
Indications for stem cell treatment of joints are arthritis, arthrosis and trauma.
Are there any contraindications for using stem cells?
Stem cells are forbidden for patients in the acute phase of chronic and infectious diseases. Also, stem cell therapy is contraindicated for pregnant women and during the lactation period.
Can stem cell therapy be an alternative to joint replacement?
As a result of the wear of the joint or its damage by the disease, endoprosthetics are often necessary. Stem cell treatment can be an alternative to this surgery. However, it should be understood that cell therapy is not a panacea and will not always help. For example, in arthrosis, stem cell therapy is indicated in stages 1 through 3.
At the 4th stage of arthrosis, this is an absolute indication for endoprosthetics, stem cell treatment at this stage will serve only as a delay for the replacement of the joint.
How sports injuries are treated with stem cells?
Stem cell treatment is popular in sports medicine. It allows patients to recover after injuries several times faster. In this case, the principle of the therapy is based on the regenerative qualities of stem cells.
Stem cell injections are prescribed together with standard treatment for dislocations, bruises, ruptures and fractures.
Is preparation necessary before the stem cell treatment for joints is conducted?
Yes, as a rule, before the introduction of stem cells, the patient is prescribed anti-inflammatory therapy. Preliminary physiotherapy procedures can also be useful.
Where do stem cells come from?
Stem cells can be collected in several ways:
- Lipofilling. This method of collecting cells involves therapy with autologous material. In other words, the patient's stem cells are used. For this, a puncture of the adipose tissue is done. Usually, fat is taken from the abdomen or thigh with a syringe. For the procedure, a small amount of fat is sufficient, from which stem cells are subsequently separated by centrifuge.
- Drawn from peripheral blood. To draw stem cells from peripheral blood, apheresis is used. The patient is connected to the device through which the blood passes. The device filters out stem cells from the blood and collects them into a separate reservoir.
- From the blood of the umbilical cord. If you or your close relatives (if compatible with your phenotype) have cord blood stored in the cryobank which was collected at birth, you can use it as a source of stem cells.
- From the bone marrow. The doctor makes a syringe puncture in the thigh bone or sternum of the patient (or donor) under anesthesia.
- Cells from an aborted fetus. Fetal cells of the fetus, extracted at 4-6 weeks of gestation.
How stem cells are processed in the laboratory?
In the laboratory, cells are extracted from the collected material and are multiplied in a special medium. This process is called cultivation.
Where stem cells are injected?
Most often, injections are made into the joint cavity. Some techniques suggest the introduction of stem cells intrathecally into the subarachnoid space of the spinal cord. Usually, 1-3 injections are necessary to achieve the result of therapy.
Does one needs to undergo rehabilitation after stem cell treatment of joints?
Stem cell treatment of the joint causes swelling in the joint area during the first few days. During this time, a patient needs to limit physical activity and walking. After the swelling has passed, the patient can return to a normal lifestyle.
How effective is stem cell treatment of joints and what results are expected?
It is possible to speak with confidence about the effectiveness of stem cells in the treatment of fractures and other injuries. In this area, therapy has proven itself in the best possible way. Treatment of arthrosis and arthritis can not be assessed unambiguously, because both arthrosis and arthritis are collective names of whole groups of diseases.
These diseases have different origins and degrees of development. In addition, the general condition of the patient - such as physical health, age - plays an important role. Therefore, whereas for one patient the therapy of joint disease by stem cells is a cure, for another patient it will only postpone surgical intervention.
How much does stem cell treatment cost?
- Knee Arthritis - starting from 19,590 €
- Ankle Arthritis - starting from 19,700 €
- Elbow Arthritis - starting from 19,700 €
- Shoulder Arthritis - starting from 7,180 €
Stem cell treatment of joints in Germany with the Booking Health
The foreign patients who plan to undergo the diagnostics and stem cell treatment of joints in Germany should take into account the specifics of receiving medical services abroad. It is also important to choose a specialized clinic from several dozens of leading medical institutions specializing in cellular therapy. For such patients it will be much easier to entrust the responsibility for both medical and organizational issues to the Booking Health company.
The Booking Health company is the only medical tourism operator that has the international certification in this field (ISO 9001: 2015 certificate). The employees of the company can help patients and their relatives with the following issues:
- Selection of the right clinic based on the annual qualification profile
- Direct communication with your attending physician
- Preliminary preparation of a medical program without repeating previous examinations
- Provision of the favorable treatment costs in Germany, without overpricing and additional coefficients for foreign patients (saving up to 50%)
- Booking an appointment with a doctor for the desired date
- Monitoring the medical program at all its stages
- Assistance in buying and forwarding medicines
- Communication with the clinic after the program completion
- Control of invoices and return of unspent funds
- Organization of additional examinations
- Top-class service: booking hotels, airline tickets, transfer
Please, leave a request on the Booking Health website and a medical consultant or patient manager will contact you the same day.
Choose treatment abroad and you will for sure get the best results!
Author: Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova
Read:
Why Booking Health - questions and answers
How to make right decision when choosing the clinic and specialist
7 reasons to trust to the rating of clinics on the Booking Health portal
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