Failed Knee Surgery and Stem Cell Therapy

Patients often expect surgery to be successful. Knee surgery is not always successful. Knee surgery can fail to relieve knee pain right away or it may return. The return can be gradual or develop over years. Stem cell treatments for knee pain are becoming more popular, including with professional athletes. The indications for stem cell treatments for knee disorders will be reviewed.

Knee Surgery and Trauma

Knee surgery may be performed or recommended for knee meniscal tears. Often this type of meniscal surgery involves debridement of knee meniscal tissue. This amounts to cutting portions of the meniscus out. This leaves an irregular shape or gap where the original tissue was. This is meant to smooth out tears or flaps of meniscus, however it leaves less meniscal tissue than was originally intended. The overall effect creates an acceleration of cartilage wear or degeneration. Trauma also results in degeneration, as abnormal knee cartilage will degenerate faster. As both trauma and surgery accelerate the degenerative arthritis process, the two factors combined create and additive effect upon cartilage breakdown over time.

The spectrum of wear and tear or degeneration, is basically the start of arthritis development until the cartilage is essentially gone (bone on bone).

Thus the spectrum of osteoarthritis is a continuum over time. Some patients degenerate faster than others. The goal is to slow this process down, and not introduce other variables which will foster even faster degeneration. These factors can be mechanical, obesity, or systemic illnesses which fosters inflammation in the body.

Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cell treatments have been utilized for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions.

The use of Stem Cell Therapy for patients with knee pain has increased. Stem Cell Therapy for patients who have already had knee meniscal surgery and failed to improve, is one of many potential uses. Professional athletes who did not respond to knee surgery, are often released by their team if they do not improve. Improvement after Stem Cell Therapy in these athletes, which allows them to return to professional sports is truly remarkable. Dennis M. Lox, MD, has treated such athletes.

Another condition patients often seek consul regarding Stem Cell Therapy, is as an alternative to total knee replacement surgery. Often patients are told knee replacement surgery is their only option. In these cases patients are often interested in Regenerative Medicine procedures, which may delay or prevent total knee replacement surgery.

Failed Knee Surgery and Stem Cell Summary

Not every case of knee surgery will be successful. Routine knee meniscal surgeries that fail to improve leave the patient with pain and debility. For athletes this can be sport or career ending.

Stem Cell Therapy may be a viable option for these knee patients who fail to improve with surgery. Dennis M. Lox, MD, has treated these types of patients, including professional athletes.

Stem Cell Therapy may also be considered for patients as an alternative to total knee replacement surgery.