Regenerative Medicine

What is regenerative medicine?

Regenerative medicine is a catchall term for techniques that create living tissue to repair or replace damaged tissue (or organs). While regenerative medicine isn’t necessarily new, the techniques for harnessing this regenerative power are constantly evolving and new studies are coming out almost every day that demonstrate the success of this approach to healing.

While the medical world is only scratching the surface when it comes to the potential of regenerative medicine, orthopaedists have been turning to techniques like stem cell therapy and PRP therapy for some time now to help rebuild and repair damaged soft tissue such as muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

What is stem cell therapy?

Most of the cells in your body are highly specialized and dedicated to one purpose — for example, your skin cells operate within your skin and kidney cells take care of all renal matters. Stem cells, on the other hand, are the raw materials from which all cells can be made.

Stem cells are what’s known as undifferentiated, which means they aren’t tasked with any one role. Instead, they have the remarkable ability to become other cells and then replicate as that cell.

They’re most powerful, and numerous, during embryonic and fetal development as they work toward creating a human life. As an adult, you still carry stem cells in your body, but they’re less powerful and fewer in number. Still, they do play a vital role in helping to regenerate tissue and jump into action when there’s damage.

With stem cell therapy, the orthopaedists at Greater Washington Orthopaedic Group inject stem cells directly into your damaged tissue, creating a healing boost in a targeted area that helps to repair and rebuild your tissue.

What is PRP therapy?

Your body also contains another incredible healing resource — your platelets. These tiny cells are found in your blood and mainly help with clotting. But they also contain growth factors, or proteins, that aid in healing and repair by signaling your body to send in additional resources, such as your own stem cells.

With PRP therapy, your doctor takes your own blood and isolates your platelets, creating a concentrate that they inject directly into your damaged tissue. These platelets then go to work to facilitate regeneration of your tissue on a cellular level.

To learn more about the exciting field of regenerative medicine, call Greater Washington Orthopaedic Group or schedule a consultation online today.