Stem cell therapy is most certainly one of the most talked about non-surgical procedures emerging in the orthopedic world. It has been claimed to manage special and compulsive injuries within the musculoskeletal system. While there is yet to be conclusive double-blind placebo-controlled studies proving the beneficial effects of stem cell therapy, many patients have felt the relief that comes with this therapy. Dr. Austin Chen, Orthopedic hip, knee, and shoulder specialist can discuss if stem cell therapy would be a good option for you.
What is stem cell therapy?
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the unique ability to become certain types of tissues. They can be categorized into two types, embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells can differentiate (or become) any cell of the body, while adult stem cell can only become a specific type of cell.
Stem cell therapy when used in the context of orthopedics uses adult stem cells. These adult stem cells are take from bone marrow, amniotic fluid, or fat, called mesenchymal stem cells, in order to address a multitude of musculoskeletal diseases that have limited therapeutic options. While Dr. Austin Chen prefers to work with therapies that have proven to be successful through double-blind, placebo-controlled studies, if you are interested in this form of treatment, he would be happy to discuss it within your realm of treatment options.
