STEM CELL THERAPY FOR HIPS
IN DENVER
IN DENVER
Hip replacement and hip repair surgeries have increased dramatically over the years and have even become more common among younger people. However, surgery is not the only solution. At Denver Regenerative Medicine, we offer stem cell therapy for hip joints as a safe and effective alternative to hip replacement or surgery. Stem cells can morph into other types of cells that are needed to repair a damaged hip joint.
Stem cell therapy for hip joints is an outpatient procedure that takes approximately 3 hours in our outpatient clinic to complete. The process begins with the removal of stem cells from the patient, along with a blood draw to isolate the platelets, also referred to as PRP. Once these stem cells and platelets are isolated and concentrated, we reintroduce those cells into the areas of the hip that require repair. That might include damaged cartilage, ligaments, or bone. At Denver Regenerative Medicine, we use a unique combination of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal cells (MSC’s), as well as adipose-derived stem cells that we harvest from patient’s abdominal fat, which are combined with the platelets (PRP) to produce the most profound regenerative effect on the hip joint and surrounding tissues.
Once injected into the hip joint, the stem cells will begin restoring the damaged areas of the hip. The PRP, which contains many growth factors, will act as a stimulate for the stem cells, helping to increase their healing potential. After the injection, patients can go home immediately.
HIP REPLACEMENT SURGERY vs. STEM CELL THERAPY FOR HIP PAIN OR HIP INJURIES
Hip surgery often requires patients to stay in a hospital overnight for several days and is followed by several months of painful physical therapy. With a hip replacement, patients are advised to avoid certain movements such as bending and twisting for up to 12 months. And even after a patient’s hip joint has healed, patients may not be permitted to do certain high-impact activities such as sports, jogging, and dancing.
With Stem Cell therapy for hips, in most cases, patients can resume their active lifestyles without any restrictions or the need for extensive physical therapy. Typically, patients will begin to see a response from the stem cells in about three to four weeks following the procedure. After that, patients will experience a significant reduction in pain while regaining mobility of their hip joints in the next several weeks as the stem cells continue to restore the hip joint.1
HOW MANY STEM CELL TREATMENTS WILL I NEED FOR MY HIP TO HEAL?
Typically, a single stem cell injection is all that is needed to repair most hip joint injuries. If the injury in the hip joint is more severe, then additional injections may be needed. In these cases, we inject additional PRP into the hip joint 2-3 months after the first injection to stimulate the initially injected stem cells. This usually produces the necessary healing effect when there is severe joint damage.
ADULT STEM CELLS HARVESTED FROM YOUR OWN BONE MARROW
Our procedure involves taking a concentrated stem cell sample from adult stem cells harvested from the bone marrow of the patient. These adult stem cells are responsible for repairing damaged tissue and making repairs in your body when necessary. Adult stem cell therapies in general do not pose any risk to the patients since adult stem cells come from our own bodies.
MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS FROM FAT
We also use stem cells derived from adult fat tissue to heal the hip joint. These adult stem cells are known as mesenchymal stem cells (MSC’s) and share many of the same regenerative properties as adult bone marrow stem cells, but adult fat-derived stem cells possess other important qualities that make them unique. The adult fat-derived stem cell population is young and has the ability to multiply and differentiate into many cell types. This means adult stem cells from fat will not only stimulate adult bone marrow stem cells but also multiply themselves to amplify their positive effects on the hip joint.
HOW SAFE IS STEM CELL THERAPY FOR HIPS?
Stem cell therapy for hip joints is a safe alternative to hip replacement or surgery. Stem cells and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) are biological components that already exist in the human body. Because we harvest the stem cells and PRP for the patient’s blood instead of other sources, there is virtually no risk of rejection or harm to the patient’s health. Furthermore, the procedure is done by a board-certified Medical Doctor with over 30 years of experience injecting hip joints.
HIP JOINT CONDITIONS TREATED BY STEM CELL THERAPY
At Denver Regenerative Medicine, we have been treating hips with stem cell therapy for almost a decade. The various injuries and conditions include but are not limited to:
- Hip Joint Arthritis
- Osteonecrosis of the femoral head
- Ligament injuries, tears, and ruptures
- Muscle strains and tears including the Hamstring
- TFL strain/sprain
STEM CELL TREATMENT FOR HIP ARTHRITIS
Hip arthritis is one of the most common causes of hip pain. This type of Arthritis involves the wearing away of the cartilage between the bones of the hip joint. It can affect anyone, but certain factors increase an individual’s risk of having hip arthritis such as advanced age, sex, being overweight, and/or having bone deformities or certain diseases. Furthermore, hip arthritis can be genetic, with repeated stress or injury to a joint further increasing any person’s overall risk.
Stem cells treat hip arthritis by expressing anti-inflammatory and pro-growth signals that create an environment that is conducive to tissue regeneration and wound healing. It is also believed that stem cells have the potential to suppress tissue degradation. This causes the body to produce more cartilage cells and more cartilage as a result.
STEM CELL THERAPY FOR THE TREATMENT OF LABRAL TEARS TO THE HIP
A hip labral tear occurs when the labrum, the ring of cartilage around the hip joint socket that provides stability to the joint, suffers a tear. Athletes are particularly prone to hip labral tears, as are people with hip deformities resulting from genetic conditions and/or disease. Arthroscopic surgery is often recommended for these types of injuries which do not improve with rest or physical therapy. The surgery involves the removal of areas of the labrum. Such removal, however, often affects overall hip stability, leaving a patient especially prone to additional injury and/or the worsening of arthritic hip issues.2
A better alternative to surgery can be to use stem cells to help regenerate and repair labral tissue. If you are suffering from a hip labral tear or suspect that you may have this condition, please contact Denver Regenerative Medicine to set up a consultation.
1 “Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in the Treatment of Hip Osteoarthritis,” Journal of Hip Preservation Surgery, Volume 4, Issue 2, July 2017, Pages 159–163
Rodrigo Mardones, Claudio M. Jofré, L. Tobar, José J. Minguell
https://doi.org/10.1093/jhps/hnx011
https://academic.oup.com/jhps/article/4/2/159/3074996
2 “Management of Hip Labral Tears in Athletes: An Evidence-Based Review of the Literature,”
Review Article Volume 4 Issue 3 – May 2018 DOI: 10.19080/JPFMTS.2018.04.555636 J Phy Fit Treatment & Sports
Walid Ben Nafa, School of Health Sciences, The University of Salford, UK; Department of Trauma & Orthopaedics, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, UK
https://juniperpublishers.com/jpfmts/pdf/JPFMTS.MS.ID.555636.pdf