Advanced new therapy can enable cartilage regeneration to heal chronic conditions.
Cindy Shoemaker was in so much pain that it hurt to stand, much less walk, even around her house. The cartilage in both of her knees was so worn down that she resorted to a painful shuffle.
“My knees were always sore and swollen,” she said. “At work, they were so stiff after sitting for a while behind my desk, that when I would get up I could barely walk.”
After repeated injections of cortisone shots for the pain, Cindy’s physician, Reuben Gobezie, MD, recommended regenerative medicine, a non-surgical, outpatient therapy.
“Regenerative medicine in orthopedics is a trail-blazing treatment that replaces injured tissues with new, functioning tissues – regenerated from an individual’s own adult stem cells,” said Dr. Gobezie, a renowned Orthopedic Surgeon and founder, Regen Orthopedics.
The treatment helps to speed repair for bone, muscle, joint, soft tissue and nerve injuries. It stimulates previously damaged tissue to regain structure and recover, assisting the body’s own healing process.
“In Cindy’s case, the treatment enabled cartilage to regenerate in the knee joint that relieved her pain,” said Dr. Gobezie. One month from having the procedure, Cindy was not only able to stand without pain, she spent a day walking around the Daytona 500 racing events.
“My increased mobility is huge,” she said. “The racetrack is huge. I walked everywhere and stood for long periods watching the races. I tell everyone who wants to hear about this procedure.”
How does it work?
Healthy regenerative cells are present within fat tissues, bone marrow and adipose connective tissue. Since the cells are collected from a patient’s own tissue, they do not pose a threat for rejection when transplanted to the injured site.
Using ultrasound guidance for precise placement, a physician extracts plasma from blood, or stem cells from fatty tissues or bone marrow, and concentrates them in a special centrifuge. The doctor then injects them into the injured tendon, ligament, nerve, muscle, bone or joint, again under direct visual ultrasound guidance. All of this is done in one outpatient visit. The outcome of each treatment depends upon the site and severity of the injury as well as the patient’s own healing potential.
“More and more patients are looking for ways to avoid ongoing steroid treatments or surgery and regenerative medicine can be an excellent alternative,” Dr. Gobezie said. “Although not all patients are candidates, we offer consultations to explore individualized treatment plans for each patient.”
For more information or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Gobezie to review what’s causing you pain, call 844-786-2355. Our office is located at 3755 Orange Place in Beachwood, Ohio. Learn more about Dr. Gobezie here.
Regen Orthopedics assists patients with a number of painful conditions, including (but not limited to):
- Osteoarthritis
- Meniscus Tears
- Rotator Cuff Injuries
- Muscle Strains
- Tennis Elbow
- Achilles Tendinitis
- Other Forms of Tendinitis or Tendinosis
- Ligament Sprains
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Compression Nerve Injuries
- Nonunion Fractures