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Stem Cell Therapy for Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis

Stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis has been shown to induce profound healing activity. Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) are able to turn into cartilage, bone, muscle, tendon, ligaments, or fat, depending on the type of tissue that surrounds them. As well as healing damaged tissues, stem cells have the unique ability to modulate the immune system in order to shut off pathological responses while preserving the ability to fight off disease.

osteoarthritis therapy
The Condition

What is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, is a group of mechanical abnormalities involving degradation of joints, including articular cartilage and subchondral bone. 

Symptoms may include joint pain, tenderness, stiffness, locking, and sometimes an effusion. When bone surfaces become less well protected by cartilage, bone may be exposed and damaged.

As a result of decreased movement secondary to pain, regional muscles may atrophy, and ligaments may become more lax.

The Effectiveness of Stem Cells

Can stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis help to treat and alleviate symptoms?

Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) are able to turn into cartilage, bone, muscle, tendon, ligaments, or fat, depending on the type of tissue that surrounds them. Stem cell therapy has been demonstrated to induce profound healing activity with various forms of arthritis. As well as healing damaged tissues, stem cells have the unique ability to modulate the immune system so as to shut off pathological responses while preserving the ability to fight off disease.

Through administration of umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells, we have observed improvements in osteoarthritis patients treated at our facilities.

The Advantages

What are the advantages of treating osteoarthritis with allogeneic umbilical cord tissue-derived stem cells?

  1. The stem cells with the best anti-inflammatory activity, immune modulating capacity, and ability to stimulate regeneration, can be screened and selected.

  2. Allogeneic stem cells can be administered multiple times over the course of days in uniform dosages that contain high cell counts.

  3. No need to collect stem cells from the patient’s hip bone or fat under anesthesia, which, especially for small children and their parents, can be an unpleasant ordeal.

  4. There is a growing body of evidence showing that umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are more robust than MSCs from other sources.

  5. No need to administer chemotherapy drugs like Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF or GCSF) to stimulate the bone marrow to produce granulocytes and stem cells and release them into the bloodstream.
Unleash The Power. Feel The Difference.

Stemwell Osteoarthritis Procedure

Stemwell uses cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells ethically sourced from full-term human umbilical cords (We do not utilize cells from embryos). We then administer more than 300 million cells that are all thoroughly tested for viability before treatment. These cells are NOT a blood product; therefore, it is extremely safe and does not require HLA or phenotypic matching.

Before Traveling

Video call with our patient advocates and our doctors where the patient’s condition and medical history will be discussed.

First Step

The patient undergoes an initial evaluation and blood work by Stemwell’s doctor.

Second Step

Endovenous detox therapy applied to patient 

 

Third Step

Localized Intrathecal Stem cell injections in trigger pain points

Fourth Step

Hyperbaric Chamber therapy – Hyperbaric oxygen reduces inflammation, oxygenates injured muscle, and regenerates skeletal muscle via macrophage and satellite cell activation.

Fifth Step

Photobiomodulation (PBM Therapy) –  the application of red and near infra-red light over injuries or lesions to improve wound and soft tissue healing, reduce inflammation and give relief for both acute and chronic pain.

*Each Protocol is customized to the patient depending their medical and surgical history 

This protocol information is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, is for general information purposes only.

Stem Cells Rejection

Will the patient reject this type of stem cell?​

The body’s immune system is unable to recognize umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as foreign and, therefore, they are not rejected. MSCs have been administered thousands of times by our doctors and there has never been a single instance of rejection (graft vs. host disease).  Indeed, allogeneic (not the patient’s own) MSCs are approved to treat graft vs. host disease in Canada and New Zealand.

In stem cell therapy for hip osteoarthritis and other parts of the body, umbilical cord-derived MSCs also proliferate and differentiate more efficiently than “older” cells, such as those found in the fat. They are, therefore, considered to be more “potent”.

Stem Cells Administration

How is stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis administered?

The stem cells are administered by a licensed physician into the affected joint(s) (intra-articular injection) and intravenously (IV). In certain circumstances, stem cells may also be administered intrathecally and/or intramuscularly. Extra intra-articular injections for multiple joints can be arranged as medical requirements dictate.