Innovation has been a distinguishing characteristic of the Centeno-Schultz Clinic. It is a game-changer and distinguishes us from other clinical practices. Steve Jobs understood its importance:
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower”
In 2005 after acknowledging that oral narcotics, high-dose steroid injections, and burning of nerves were not effective and had significant side effects, we starting using bone marrow-derived stem cells. Later that year we became the first clinic in the world to inject stem cells into the lumbar spine disc.
In 2010 we used our extensive knowledge of stem cells and x-ray guided injections to successfully develop a nonsurgical treatment for ACL tears. Two peer-reviewed publications have documented its success and saved countless patients from ACL surgery and its complications.
In 2015 after years of providing care and treatment for patients who had been disabled and robbed of their quality of life as a result of injury of the ligaments that attach the head to the neck, we dug deep for solutions. The only treatment option was surgical fusion where the back of the head was fused with the neck. We applied our extensive knowledge of cervical anatomy along with our ability to guide needles in the upper cervical spine with millimeter precision to develop an effective, nonsurgical technique to treat alar and transverse ligament injuries. The procedure is called the PICL, percutaneous injection of cervical ligaments, and has provided hope and clinical benefit to over 200 patients to date. The Centeno-Schultz Clinic is the only place in the world where this procedure is performed.
In 2020, the Coronavirus disrupted global health and economics. We witnessed a shortage of critical supplies which included protective masks. The State of Colorado mandated us to inventory all our PPE supplies and indicated that they most likely would be resourced out of our clinic to areas of higher need. Accordingly, we went to work looking for solutions. A 3-D printer, ingenuity, and resourcefulness led to the successful creation of an efficient, safe re-usable N-99 mask. To learn more about this most recent innovation please click on the video below.
Innovation is a core value. At the Centeno-Schultz Clinic, we innovate so that patients and their families have safe, effective nonsurgical options to treat their orthopedic conditions. We are all in this together.