Knee Arthritis Treated with Stem Cell Therapy
Knee Arthritis Treated with Stem Cell Therapy
Knee arthritis (osteoarthritis) is a common malady afflicting millions of people.
Knee joint replacement is the most common joint replaced followed by the hip. Many patients are now turning towards Regenerative Medicine for options, including Stem Cell Therapy to avoid knee joint replacement.
Knee arthritis may be secondary to trauma, prior surgery, mechanical overuse, obesity, and even genetics. Knee arthritis progresses over time. Studies have shown that radiographic changes can progress significantly over even a 3-5 year period. Anti-inflammatories and cortisone injections do not alter the course of arthritis progression.
Regenerative Medicine techniques such as Stem Cell Therapy may indeed deter the progression of arthritis. The complicated array of cell signaling involved and cytokine regulation can be positively affected by Stem Cell Therapy without the potential for side effects that occur with Biologics used in Rheumatoid disorders. This makes the use of stem cells for the treatment of knee arthritis very important. So much so that clinical trials around the world are trying to determine the effectiveness of stem cells for knee osteoarthritis.
A major problem is the clinical trials are not all the same. Some have used stem cells after knee surgery, others employ other variables that may negatively influence the outcome. For an experienced Regenerative Medicine specialist, the subtleties of the various clinical trials become evident. To the inexperienced or layperson, it is difficult or impossible to discern. Proper knowledge and research into the area can go a long way to help understand the issues, or a consultation with Dr. Lox may be of benefit.
