Regenerative medicine offers new treatment options for patients with arthritis
As an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Eichten feels it is important to consider all treatment options when offering solutions for joint pain. Each patient and problem should be approached in an individualized manner. While total joint replacement may be the right solution for some patients, many patients can get years of relief with non-operative interventions such as lifestyle modifications, low impact home exercise programs, weight loss, medications, and intra-articular joint injections performed in the office.
One exciting, new, non-operative treatment option is Lipogems lipoaspirate regenerative medicine treatment. Lipogems is a 90 minute, in-office procedure, performed by Dr. Eichten that takes advantage of the healing microenvironment in our fat tissue. Lipogems utilizes this microenvironment to reverse arthritis damage and restore a healthy and healing environment to your joints.
Fat harvest has been used for many years in plastic surgery. During these years, researchers have found that fat is a very dynamic and biologically active tissue. Recently, the FDA cleared the Lipogems device for processing and same-day injection of adipose tissue into joints. When considering biologic therapies it is important to evaluate the active biologic tissues utilized and their potential to regenerate damaged tissue. Fat tissue harvested and processed via the Lipogems system “maintains the intact stromal vascular niche which includes not only mesenchymal stem cells but also supportive pericytes, cytokines, and the connective tissue matrix.” These cells and growth factors become available to your damaged joint cartilage and create a rich healing environment that has the potential to decrease the pain caused by osteoarthritis.
The objective of Lipogems is to harness the natural regenerative process of tissues. Lipogems received FDA approval in December of 2014. Since that time over 800 procedures have been performed in the United States. Lipogems was approved in Europe in March 2014 and over 7000 cases have been performed globally. The most important factor to ensure a successful outcome is trusting that your physician has recommended a treatment that is consistent with the severity of your arthritis. We invite you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Eichten today to discuss your options and determine if you are a candidate for this promising, new, regenerative medicine treatment.
For more information on Lipogems please visit the following links:
