Our colleague in Chicago, Dr. Brian Cole, the Bulls’ team physician, performed the surgery using a graft from Rose’s patellar tendon.   Rose also received platelet-rich plasma, which helps stimulate and speed healing. The treatment was very progressive because not only does the PRP potentially facilitate healing it may also delay the progression of arthritis that can follow after such an injury and surgery.

At the Orthohealing Center in Los Angeles, we are treating patients following meniscus surgical repair to delay the arrival of arthritis as well.

This past week, the first-place Chicago Bulls were knocked out in the first round of NBA playoffs without their court leader and leading scorer.   Here’s hoping  last year’s NBA  MVP makes a speedy return to the court! His medical team is doing everything available in 2012 to accelerate his recovery.

Biologic medicine is exploding to the mainstream.  Pioneering doctors and patients are driving change so that we have new solutions for ailing backs.  Recently CBS national news featured a new biologic injection for chronic low back pain. Whats exciting about these natural based treatments is that not only do they potentially reduce discomfort from painful discs, it actually re-grows them!

Over 300,000 spinal fusions are performed each year in the United States for herniated discs and degenerative disc disease. The surgery involves joining vertebrae and holding them in place with metal screws or rods so they cannot move.

Now, a minimally invasive, outpatient procedure is available that takes approximately five minutes with a speedy recovery. The patient is given a local numbing injection, and then two blood plasma components – thrombin and fibrinogen – are injected together. They combine to become fibrin, which fills cracks and eventually allows the disc to re-grow. The trial is being conducted at facilities across the country.

Dr. Beny Charchian, an Interventional Spine Specialist at The Orthohealing Center, is currently performing non-surgical injections of Bone Marrow Concentrate, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), and Fibrin for low back pain with very promising results.  Certainly, larger clinical trials are needed and are currently underway to better understand when to best apply this treatment.

Soon, leading doctors from around the world will gather in Los Angeles, CA July 13-15 to grow our understanding of the latest treatments and research in regenerative medicine.  www.prpseminar.com

While treatment of elite athletes is shedding light on these promising therapies, it’s the everyday patient with back, hip, knee pain etc that may benefit most. We will host 60-80 leading doctors from around the globe in biologic regenerative medicine july 13-15 in Los Angeles.

Bone Marrow Concentrate, also known as “BMC”, is a relatively painless outpatient procedure which involves the same-day isolation of regenerative cells from the patient’s own bone marrow. These cells are often combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP), which consists of growth factors from a patient’s own blood. The powerful “one-two punch” of BMC plus PRP is known for its tissue regenerating abilities and often provides outstanding results in appropriate patients where PRP is not potent enough for advanced osteoarthritis of the hip, knee, hand, foot, ankle, and spine.

Injections are performed under direct visualization by either ultrasound or fluoroscopy (live X-ray) to ensure proper placement at the site of injury or degeneration. The regenerative cells then assist the body in creating new tissue growth.

The doctors of the Orthohealing Center are proud to offer BMAC injections as one of the many tools available to our patients to help lead active lives while avoiding surgery.  We are currently in the active process of collecting data and look forward to publishing our results in the near future.  The Orthohealing Center  will also be hosting a seminar in July to train doctors from all across the world on these regenerative procedures.

We will be hosting our 3^rd annual PRP/Bone Marrow MSK Ultrasound Regenerative Medicine Symposium in Los Angeles July13-15. www.prpseminar.comMore & more symposiums of this nature are emerging to address the growing community in regenerative medicine incorporating the latest cutting edge technologies.

This year will feature 8 breakout ultrasound hands on workstations with advanced topics along with a cadaver lab. Meetings like this bring together enthusiastic minds to drive change in a field that needs to address the growing need for conservative treatment options for Osteoarthritis & tendon injuries.

Get all the details & register at http://www.prpseminar.com/

A study by our friend and colleague Dr Alberto Gobbi at the OASI Bioresearch foundation in Milan; concluded that PRP had positive effects on knee osteoarthritis. 5o patients were observed for over 12months. All patients showed significant improvement in all scores at 6 and 12 months. Patients showed significant improvement by means of diminishing pain and improved symptoms and quality of life.

This study is adding to the growing body of research that suggests that PRP may have a long term role in the treatment options for knee osteoarthritis both before surgery to prevent it or after to improve function and reduce pain. Dr Sampson published a pilot trial on knee osteoarthritis which has served as a platform to encourage other more robust studies to determine how PRP should be integrated into standard practice.

More research will be presented at our upcoming TOBI 3^rd annual PRP/Regenerative Medicine Symposium July 13-15, 2012. www.prpseminar.com

Doctors from all around the globe will gather to collaborate & discuss new treatment protocols & technology to improve outcomes in this swelling epidemic of osteoarthritis.