Stem cell therapy is generally considered a safe procedure with minimal complications however, as with any medical procedure, complications can occur. Risks and Complications of Stem Cell Therapy There is a general lack of data about the long-term effects of stem cell therapy as it is a newer procedure and represents a newer form of treatment. As stem cell therapy uses the cells derived from your own body, it reduces the chances of an immune rejection. Stem cell therapy is a relatively simple procedure that avoids the complications associated with invasive surgical procedures. You will need to refrain from taking non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) for a while as this can affect the healing process of your body. You will need to take it easy and avoid any load bearing activities for at least two weeks following your procedure. You will most likely be able to return to work the next day following your procedure. The whole procedure usually takes less than one hour and you may return home on the same day of the procedure.
Your doctor then cleans and numbs your affected area to be treated and then, under the guidance of special X-rays, injects the stem cells into the diseased region. In the laboratory, the aspirate is spun in a machine for 10 to 15 minutes and a concentrated stem cell sample is separated. Bone marrow is then aspirated using a special syringe and the sample obtained is sent to the laboratory.
A needle is then introduced into an area of your pelvic bone known as the iliac crest. Your doctor will first clean and numb your hip area. Bone marrow is usually aspirated from your hip region. The procedure begins with your doctor extracting stem cells from your own bone marrow. Preparing for a stem cell procedure is relatively easy and your doctor will give you specific instructions depending on your condition. It is important that you stop taking any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) at least two weeks before your procedure. You may be a good candidate for stem cell therapy if you have been suffering from joint pain and want to improve your quality of life while avoiding complications related to invasive surgical procedures. Who is a Good Candidate for Stem Cell Therapy? Stem cells are also being used in the treatment of various soft tissue (muscle, ligaments and tendons) as well as bone-related injuries.
To obtain stem cells from the bone marrow, a needle is inserted into the iliac crest of the pelvic bone to extract the stem cells.Ĭurrently, stem cell therapy is used to treat various degenerative conditions of the shoulder, knees, hips, and spine. These have the ability to turn into cells that form the musculoskeletal system such as tendons, ligaments, and articular cartilage. The mesenchymal stem cell is the most commonly harvested. These include adipose tissue (fat), bone marrow and peripheral blood. However, many questions have been raised on the ethics of destroying a potential human life for the treatment of another.Īdult stem cells can be harvested from many areas in the body. These stem cells can be derived from eggs collected during IVF procedures with informed consent from the patient. The unique self-regeneration and differentiating ability of embryonic stem cells can be used in regenerative medicine. Like embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells can also turn into more than one cell type, but their differentiation is restricted to a limited number of cell types. These are called adult stem cells or somatic stem cells. As we age, these cells function to renew old and worn out tissues and cells. They are pluripotent, which means they have the ability to develop into almost any of the various cell types of the body.Īs the embryo develops and forms a baby, stem cells are distributed throughout the body, where they reside in specific pockets of each tissue, such as the bone marrow and blood. There are two major types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells.Įmbryonic stem cells (ESCs) are stem cells derived from human embryos. The goal of stem cell therapy is to amplify the natural repair system of the patient’s body by increasing the numbers of stem cells at injury sites. However, with increased age sometimes, the necessary amounts of stem cells are not present at the injured area. Stem cells are present in all of us, acting like a repair system for the body. Stem cells are being used in regenerative medicine to renew and repair diseased or damaged tissues, and have shown promising results in treatments of various orthopedic, cardiovascular, neuromuscular and autoimmune conditions. Stem cell therapy is a form of regenerative medicine that utilizes the body’s natural healing mechanism to treat various conditions.