Bone Marrow Treatment

What does bone marrow treatment involve?

Bone marrow treatment, also called bone marrow concentrate therapy or bone marrow aspirate concentrate therapy, is a regenerative treatment that uses your body’s own stem cells to accelerate healing.

The bone marrow in your hip contains adult stem cells. These stem cells self-replicate, creating new cells capable of developing into many different types of tissues, including ligaments, tendons, cartilage, muscle, collagen, and blood vessels.

Dr. Downs removes a sample of bone marrow from your hip, then injects a concentrated amount of stem cells into your injury. This extra boost of concentrated stem cells supports healing by regenerating the new cells needed to repair damaged tissues. 

Bone marrow treatment is especially beneficial when you have a severe injury or extensively damaged tissues that overwhelm your body’s natural supply of stem cells.

What conditions benefit from bone marrow treatment?

Bone marrow treatment may improve healing in many acute and chronic orthopedic conditions, including:

• Osteoarthritis
• Tendon injuries
• Ligament sprains or tears
• Meniscus tears
• Rotator cuff tendinitis
• Tennis elbow
• Ankle sprains
• Achilles tendinitis

As the stem cells regenerate tissues, they also help to reduce swelling and alleviate your pain.

What should I expect during my bone marrow treatment?

During your bone marrow extraction, Dr. Downs uses a local anesthetic to numb the area. Then he inserts a special type of needle into your hip bone and removes a small amount of bone marrow. 

The bone marrow sample is placed in a centrifuge, which separates the regenerative cells from other marrow components. Then Dr. Downs uses ultrasound guidance to inject the concentrated stem cells and other healing agents into the injured area.

The entire process takes about two hours, so you go home the same day. Most patients have swelling and discomfort for 2-3 days. By the end of one week, you can start physical therapy to facilitate your recovery.

When do I see results following a bone marrow treatment?

The process of regenerating new tissues takes some time, but most patients start to notice an improvement in 2-6 weeks after their bone marrow treatment. It may take six weeks to several months to achieve optimal results. During this time, it’s important to follow your rehabilitation program.

To learn if you’re a good candidate for bone marrow treatment, call Orthopaedic Specialists or schedule an appointment online.