Stem Cell Therapy - New-Age Techniques for Knee Pain Cure

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Recent technological advances in Orthobiologics and stem cell therapies are fast defining new age orthopaedic interventions aver doctors. Platelet rich plasma injection and Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation are touted to bring relief and are fast evolving as interventions for keeping the knee young, says Dr Mithin Aachi, senior joint consultant, Apollo Hospitals.

One is an injection of concentrated healing factors taken from the patient's own blood and injected into the knee and the other is the smooth lining of the joint harvested from the patient's own knee and then implanted into the knee giving long lasting relief from pain and suffering.

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) is an autologous blood product with platelet concentrations above baseline values and carry nature’s healing molecules that help to heal and unite wounds and fractures. 

The growth factors released by the platelets act as healers of the joint and keep the knee healthy for longer periods of time than the natural synovial joint fluid which degenerates in consistency as time progresses. A PRP injection at three monthly interval usually postpones the symptoms of arthritis and pain and keeps the knee younger than it is and is helpful in long term postponement of Total Knee Replacement. PRP injection also helps in the long run in patients with ligament and meniscal injuries.

When 10 cc of blood is put in a centrifuge machine the healing potential in the blood separates out as PRP. This isolated PRP is taken in another syringe and given into knee joints and other wounds to accelerate healing and response to pain. Three monthly injections might be required for 3 to 5 times to help the patient avoid the vagaries of arthritis for longer term.

Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI) or Cartilage Replacement is the new age technique for managing knee cartilage loss and pain. A sports injury can hamper the life of a knee with cartilage loss and faster setting in of arthritis. In such a scenario replacing the lost cartilage with the patient's own cultured cartilage plug harvested from a part of the knee is rapidly evolving the world over as a fantastic procedure to avoid arthritis by filling the cartilage gaps with this cartilage graft to restore the knee its age and to keep the joint supple and healthy.

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