Autologous, adult mesenchymal stem cells have proven to be an effective therapy for patients who have orthopedic injuries. Specifically, autologous, adult mesenchymal stem cell therapy has regenerated cartilage in knees, hips and thumbs, repaired tendon injuries, reduced the size of protrusions in the lumbar spine and healed long bone non-union fractures.
Regenexx isolates a patients own mesenchymal stem cells in a state of the art cell culture laboratory. Then, in an effort to provide maximal clinical results, it expands the stem cells by a factor of 1,000X. The process takes 12-14 days and typically yields a mesenchymal stem cell count of 5-10 million cells. The stem cells are expanded through the use of the patient’s own blood products. No growth hormone or exogenous stimulates are utilized. The patented process is unique in its ability to yield such a large number of autologous, mesenchymal stem cells.
In a previous blog, I discussed BMAC: Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate. The therapy involves taking a patients bone marrow, concentrating it via a centrifuge and re-injecting the concentrate into the area of damaged tissue. The entire process is conducted in a single setting. There is no isolation or culture expansion of the stem cells. BMAC differs significantly from the Regenexx procedure in the type and absolute number of stem cells injected. BMAC yields a high concentration of hemapoetic stem cells which will differentiate into blood products. The important repair stem cell, mesenchymal stem cells, are in very low concentrations.