In response to injured or unhealthy tissues, our bodies create an inflammatory response. Part of this response includes cells that enhance healing and also includes cells that cause swelling and pain. New and innovative treatment techniques exist to enhance the body’s ability to heal an area and also decrease pain and swelling. These treatments are known as autologous therapy (cells that are obtained from the patient’s own blood or tissues).
Read more about biologic treatments such as platelet-rich plasma and bone marrow aspirate concentration injections below.
Platelet-Rich Plasma
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a technique that involves harvesting healing cells from a patient’s own blood. Platelets are one of the main cells that have been identified in research to participate in healing of injured and unhealthy tissues. They are signaled and drawn to the sites of injury naturally within the body.
- PRP therapy involves drawing a small amount of blood out of a patient’s vein in their arm and placing that blood into a centrifuge machine to concentrate the plasma, in which a significant concentration of platelets is obtained.
- The platelet-rich plasma is then injected into areas of unhealthy or injured tissue in which there typically is also pain and/or swelling. These concentrated cells can help the body naturally heal from certain conditions.
This simple procedure can be done in the office and takes a total of 15 to 20 minutes.
Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentration
Bone marrow aspirate concentration (BMAC) is another innovative procedure developed to help the body heal areas of damaged tissue and decrease pain. Stem cells are the cells within the body that differentiate into all forms of tissue and also change into the cells that promote healing. The bone marrow is an area of highly concentrated stem cells.
- A BMAC procedure involves obtaining blood from a patient’s bone marrow with a needle.
- The blood is then spun in a centrifuge machine to concentrate the stem cells, which have a high healing capability.
- These stem cells are then injected into an area of damaged or unhealthy tissue and can help the body heal these areas. Bone marrow aspiration contains platelets but also other important cells for healing like white blood cells.
BMAC is an outpatient procedure used with local anesthetic and light sedation.
Both of these technologies have emerged in the orthopedic field and show significant promise in their ability to help patients heal injured tissues and decrease pain. Many types of disorders are being treated with these therapies including disorders of:
- Muscles
- Tendons
- Ligaments
- Joints
Some of the conditions that are being treated include acute tendon and ligament injuries, chronic tendinitis, arthritis and others. Some specific examples include:
- Tennis elbow
- Achilles tendinitis
- Plantar fasciitis
- Rotator cuff tendinitis and injury
- Cartilage damage
- Osteoarthritis
The injection typically takes several weeks to take effect; however, the effect can linger for months. The goal is to help decrease painful inflammation and enhance the body’s ability to heal tissues and joints.
Mountainstate Orthopedic Associates | Biologic Treatments in Morgantown, WV
We at Mountainstate Orthopedic Associates always want to consider the whole picture of a patient’s problem as well as the whole spectrum of treatment options.
If you have an acute injury or chronic pain that is not improving and question if PRP or BMAC would be right for you, please call our office for a consultation and to discuss treatment options.