Specialty Procedures
/Regenerative Medicine • Elbow • Hip • Shoulder • Wrist • Hand • Finger • Knee • Foot/Ankle

Stem Cell Injections

Stem cells are found throughout the body and can be harvested from a patient’s bone marrow or adipose (fat) tissues. These cells have many regenerative and anti-inflammatory properties, so clinicians believe that they may have the ability to treat some common conditions that cause damage to the tissues within the body (e.g., cartilage defects, arthritis, tendon injuries etc.). Dr. Hackel has helped to determine whether or not these revolutionary procedures, designed to help the body overcome common orthopaedic injuries, actually work.

During stem cell therapy trials, a patient's own stem cells are injected into his or her damaged tissue. By injecting these stem cells into the tissue, healthy cell growth may be initiated. Many study participants have experienced improved function and reduced pain level after a single stem cell injection procedure to the injured area. Furthermore, some study participants have retained the benefits of their procedure for several years.

How Does It Work

The patient’s own adult stem cells can be found in various tissues throughout the body. In conducting a clinical trial, stem cells are harvested from a patient’s bone marrow or adipose (fat) and inject the cells under ultrasound guidance, which helps ensure the cells are precisely targeted to the desired location. Stem cells are unique in that they have the ability to differentiate. This ability to differentiate allows a stem cell to become one of a wide variety of cells (including tendon, muscle and cartilage cells). This ability to differentiate allows a stem cell to turn into the specific type of cell the body needs and also provides a profound anti-inflammatory effect leading to pain relief and resolution of the injury.

Some of the conditions tested include: Knee arthritis; shoulder arthritis; hip arthritis; ankle arthritis; elbow arthritis; wrist and finger arthritis; labral and rotator cuff tears of the shoulder; labral tears of the hip; meniscus tears of the knee; and tendon tears of the wrist, elbow, hip, knee, ankle and foot.