While platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections have long been providing patients with tendon, ligament, and joint pain much relief as an alternative to steroid injections, newer regenerative medicine techniques now include Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate, better known as “BMAC”.  Similar to PRP, BMAC utilizes the body’s own healing properties to deliver various growth factors and nucleated cells to an injured area. 

The combination of PRP, BMAC, and oral supplements gives new hope and offers non-surgical solutions for many common orthopedic problems including tennis elbow, rotator cuff injuries, meniscus tears, SI joint pain, facet mediated pain, and degenerative arthritis.

We are pleased to now offer BMAC at the Orthohealing Center with hopes of helping our patients add life to their years!

The study consisted of patients who have experienced chronic recalcitrant tendinopathy (chronic non healed tendon) which lasted over 3 months. They were treated with PRP injection and ultrasound-guided percutaneous tenotomy. The first part of the study involved forty one patients. They had to complete a survey gathering had to complete a survey that collected a wide variety of data including their pain level, hemoglobin and white blood cell concentrations, anthropomorphic data, PRP samples and more. The second part of the study involved 34 patients who had to return to the clinic after PRP injections and tenotomy.

The follow up continued for 14 months and showed “maximum benefits” from combining both therapies after 4 months. The results showed functional improvements of 68%, worst-pain improvements of 58%, and patient satisfaction and procedure recommendation to others was at 83%. Even though after the treatments none of the tendons have showed normal sonographic appearance, 84% did improve in echotexture and 82% had diminished intratendinous neovascularity.

It is still necessary to conduct larger studies to determine whether the two therapy combination is particularly beneficial to certain injuries or tendon types. This study however, did establish that the combination is safe and effective in helping people with ongoing tendinopathy.

You can learn more about the study by visiting www.orthosupersite.com.

We are seeing a revolution in technology that is being driven by patient to patient marketing. Dr Sampson and the Orthohealing Center were amongst the earliest in the country to integrate this cost effective “hands on” technology and train physicians from all around the world on this and other new treatments utilizing cutting edge technology.

Patients are seeking out further options, believing there must be more treatments medical professionals can offer. Furthermore, ”vision/action” patients are fueling new growth, as they require physical activity for sanity, balance and need to exercise to recover from injuries quickly. While the technology is utilized by elite professional athletes such as the NBA players, it is also available to the everyday patients who experience pain during daily activities such as transferring form a chair, standing, using stairs or sleeping on their side.

Sacroiliac (SI) joint pain afflicts millions of Americans every year, and is thought to be the main culprit in up to 30% of chronic back pain sufferers.  It continues to be widely underdiagnosed by many physicians in part because MRIs of the low back typically do not focus on this area and therefore show nothing abnormal.  Most patients with the condition feel hopeless when conventional treatments including physical therapy and steroid injections do not provide sustained relief.

As outlined in the Winter 2011 issue of Pain Pathways magazine, Radiofrequency (RF) Ablation offers new hope.  In this procedure, a probe is inserted near the area of the SI joint and its tip is heated – deadening the surrounding nerve tissue and offering substantial and more prolonged pain relief.   A similar procedure can be performed for nerves in the low back (medial branch nerves which innervate facet joints of the lumbar spine).

We have performed numerous RF ablations at the Orthohealing Center with exceptional results , and are excited to see word spread about this innovative procedure!

Our spines consist of intervertebral discs which lie in-between the vertebrae, acting like gelatinous “shock-absorbers”.  As we age, the annulus fibrosus, which is the strong outer ring of these discs, weakens and defects in the ring can cause a disc herniation, leading to low back pain and lower extremity pain.

A new study shows promise in combating these degenerative changes with the use of Platelet-Rich Plasma, more commonly known as PRP.  PRP is a useful delivery system of our body’s own growth factors, enhancing extracellular matrix production and cell proliferation to rejuvenate the tissue in the annulus fibrosis.

The use of regenerative medicine techniques in the spine may provide new hope for the treatment of chronic neck and back pain which adversely affects the quality of life for millions of Americans.  At The Orthohealing Center, we have been performing Spine PRP injections  for years with promising results.

Statistically significant reductions in pain scores were reported at 7 weeks and 6 months.  23 (57.5%) patients reported a clinically relevant reduction of pain (average of 45%, range 30–71%). More importantly, pain relief was shown to be sustained at 6 months with a parallel reduction of disability. Side effects were negligible and were limited to a sensation of heaviness in the injection site.

We look forward to more studies being published detailing the safety and efficacy of Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections for a wide array for joint, tendon, and ligament problems which have failed to respond to other treatments- setting the stage for a new era in regenerative medicine.

As is evidenced by this new study and many more like it in recent years, regenerative medicine holds tremendous promise not only for cardiology but for numerous realms in healthcare including orthopedics & sports medicine.  The Orthohealing Center and The Orthobiologic Institute continue to research the applications of regenerative medicine in non-surgical orthopedic care and hopes to see similar postive outcomes as those seen in this study in joints and in the spine.

While incredibly promising, larger trials are still needed to determine if these therapies are safe  and effective.   Dr. Bolli said he would have to temper his enthusiasm until he can duplicate the results in larger studies, definitive enough to get stem cell therapy approved as a standard treatment.  But, for many patients who have failed conservative and traditional treatments, regenerative medicine with stem cells and growth factors sheds new light on an otherwise dim outlook on the road to recovery…

A free-to-download podcast of the episode can be found on “Radio Rounds” iTunes page!

We are delighted to announce that we will be participating in the West LA Chamber of Commerce 14^th Annual Health Fair this Sunday, October 23^rd, 2011 from 10am-6pm.  The Health Fair will be located in Brentwood on San Vicente Blvd. between Barrington and Gorham.  There will be over 60 Health Fair Exhibitors featured along with Free Drawings, Prizes, Demonstrations, Give-Aways, Health Screenings, and much more!  As always, admission will be free to the public. This year is set to be the Biggest and Best!

The Orthohealing Center Exhibit (Booth #21) will feature demonstrations of musculoskeletal ultrasound techniques used in diagnosis and treatment of a wide array of joint, tendon, ligament, cartilage, and muscle conditions.  Dr. Danielle Aufiero and Dr. Beny Charchian will be on-hand to discuss new treatments being offered in our state-of-the-art facility including Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) , Prolotherapy, Neural Prolotherapy (Biopuncture) , Viscosupplementation, Fluoroscopic Guided Epidural and Facet Injections and Interventional Spine Procedures, Medical Foods, Class IV Therapeutic Laser Therapy, Customized Orthotics, Customized Bracing, and Electromyogram (EMG) and Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS).

Also, make sure to bring the family and visit the adjoining 24^th Annual Brentwood Fall Art Festival!

See you on Sunday!