Category Archives: Joint Replacement Surgery

Regenerative Medicine Treats Knee Pain With Stem Cells

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Knee Pain Stem Cells

Stems Cell Therapy for Knee Pain

There have been multiple articles lately, including this press release that address the advantages of using stem cell therapy to treat knee pain in some patients. By using stem cells as opposed to surgery many of the risks involved with traditional knee replacement surgery can be avoided such as complications from anesthesia and post op infections. The release also points out that if a patient can also use their own stem cells the risk for an autoimmune reaction in the body could be eliminated.

This regenerative medicine procedure is also very simple compared to other surgical options. The stem cells are simply injected into the body by the doctor. Hopefully the pain of the needle would be the worst of it. The article does not address the long term success rates for this type of treatment, however, that may be attributable to the relative newness of stem cell procedures for treating the knee.

The bottom line is that the introduction of new and less invasive treatment options and therapies is welcome news for the millions who suffer from all forms of joint pain.

Criteria For Total Joint Replacement Surgery

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Knee Replacement Surgery

Knee Replacement Surgery

Researchers in Canada have addressed the issue of what criteria should be used in determining who is most likely to have a positive outcome from total joint replacement surgery. They point out the importance of helping a patient determine when to stop simply trying to minimize the symptoms with pain management and move forward with surgery. As surgery is usually a last resort, if the joints are not too badly damaged or deteriorated and the level of pain is acceptable, surgery and its risks can often be delayed.

The researchers also cast doubt on the high rate of success often cited by manufacturers and doctors involved in this type of surgery. However controlling for other factors such as additional health problems or defining what constitutes a successful outcome could have contributed to the lower rate. Definitely check out the link above to read more, especially if you or a loved one is considering joint replacement surgery.