Stem Cell & PRP Treatments for Knee Meniscus Tears
Receive a Regenexx® Patient Info Packet by EmailThe last option anyone should consider for treating a meniscus injury is the surgical removal of all or some of this important structure. In the majority of cases, regenerative stem cell therapy or platelet procedures (along with physical therapy) are a better option.
Meniscus Procedure Outcome Data
Types of Meniscus Tears We Treat
Your Meniscus Tear & Why Regenexx Procedures Are Likely Your Best Option
What is the Meniscus?
The Meniscus is both the shock absorber of the knee joint and the spacer that protects the cartilage which covers the top of the femur and the tibia bone. It does this by distributing the force equally across the joint. The meniscus is made of living fibro-cartilage tissue. Each knee has two menisci, a medial meniscus which is closer to the inside of the body, and a lateral meniscus which is closer to the outside of the body. The medial meniscus is more easily injured than the lateral one for biomechanical reasons.
Why Stem Cell Therapy May Be Your Best Option
Knee meniscus tears are one of the most common knee injuries we treat. Stem Cell treatment of meniscus tears offers patients a minimally invasive same-day injection procedure that may help heal the injured tissue and allow the individual to avoid the painful and lengthy recovery that typically follows surgery, as well as the long term impact to the knee as a result of removing sections of meniscus. Regenexx uses the healing power of your own stem cells and platelets to help heal this tissue, rather than remove it.
Why Not Fix the Meniscus Surgically?
More than 90% of the time meniscus surgery does not “repair” the meniscus, but rather removes the torn pieces. Given its shock absorbing function, less shock absorber means more shock gets delivered to the cartilage and bone. After a while, this living tissue reacts and cartilage is lost and the knee begins to form new bone spurs. Studies have calculated increased force versus the amount of meniscus removed and its profound negative consequences to the long term function and stability of the knee. In addition, papers have confirmed that removing parts of the meniscus results in knee arthritis. Most remarkably, recent research has shown that meniscus surgery, on average, is no more effective than physical therapy in its positive effects, however physical therapy has no negative impact. Despite this, millions of meniscectomies are still performed every year.
How Regenexx Procedures Work
Stem Cell Treatments
Same Day Stem Cell Protocol
Adult stem cells are cells from your own body that can renew themselves and turn into other cells (differentiate). They live inside all of us in various tissues, poised to leap into action to repair damage as it occurs. As we age or have big injuries, we may not be able to recruit enough of these cells to the site to fully repair the area. Regenexx Stem Cell Procedures help overcome this problem by extracting stem cells from an area of high volume, then concentrating the cells and reinjecting them into the damaged area to help the body heal naturally. Our Patented Stem Cell Procedures can be used for a wide range of conditions and are the tool of choice for injuries, arthritis and other conditions that may be more significant than what may be treated with our Platelet Rich Plasma or Platelet Lysate Procedures.
Blood Platelet Treatments
Super Concentrated Platelet Rich Plasma & Advanced Platelet Lysate Procedures
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Platelet Lysate Injection Treatments contain healing growth components from your own blood that increase your body’s natural ability to repair itself. The use of PRP to repair joint, tendon, ligament, and muscle injuries is becoming well known, thanks to exposure from professional athletes. Platelet injection treatments are effective because they have a stimulating effect on the stem cells within the targeted area, making those stem cells work harder to heal damaged tissues. Our Advanced Platelet Procedures are more pure and concentrated than those created by the automated machines used at most regenerative medicine clinics. Platelet procedures are commonly used for soft tissue injuries, mild arthritis and spine conditions.