Orthobiologics
What are Orthobiologics? The term ‘biologics’ is often heard as a part of treatment therapies for cancers, gastroenterology disorders and arthritis. What people may not know is that this same therapy can be used to help heal musculoskeletal injuries as well. These are called orthobiologics. Orthobiologics are treatments that use the body’s OWN tissue and cells to help heal injuries and regenerate cells in the body and can potentially help speed up the healing process. What treatments are available at Phoebe Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine? In the office, we often refer to these therapies as Regenerative Medicine and we offer two forms in which we use our patients’ OWN body tissue: Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) and Bone Marrow Concentrate (BMC) both of which can be used in conjunction with orthopaedic surgery or as stand-alone treatments. When provided as stand-alone therapies, we have the equipment necessary to complete the treatments in our practice office – right here in Albany. No hospital stay is required.
What type of injuries can potentially be treated with orthobiologics?
- arthritic knees
- other arthritis cases
- tendon injuries
- including Achilles tendonitis
- rotator-cuff injuries
- “tennis elbow”
- plantar fasciitis (heel pain)
- cartilage injuries
- muscle strains
- ligament sprains
What is the basic process or these treatments?
Process:
- First appointment is a regenerative medicine consult to evaluate if the injury/concern is a candidate for orthobiologics treatment
- The next steps include creating your individualized care plan and setting a treatment date. Each person is different, thus we don’t have a one-size-fits-all treatment schedule.
- Upon your treatment, remember, you will come to our practice office.
PRP process:
The process for using Platelet-Rich Plasma (often called PRP) works like this: When you are sick or injured, your body quickly sends platelets to the affected area. Platelets act like “first responder” cells. They form a clot to help prevent more bleeding. Platelets help create a foundation for new tissue to grow. In addition, they release growth factors and other proteins. These proteins attract stem cells and other cells to the area. Each of these cells is needed to help the area heal. When concentrated platelets (the PRP) are injected into the diseased or injured area, they act like glue. They bind the damaged tissue together. The PRP also release growth factors which stimulate your body’s healing.
BMC process:
We harvest stem cells from Bone Marrow Concentrate (often called BMC). Our bone marrow is a rich source of stem cells. Stem cells can be drawn from many areas and tissue types, but bone marrow is typically used. Stem cells are known to have the ability to differentiate into many types of tissue like muscle, tendon, ligament, bone, blood cells, and others. This gives the potential for a self-renewal process that could improve and heal degenerative and damaged tissue.