Juaneda Hospitals use an innovative stem cell implantation technique in a knee with osteoarthritis.
Dr. Jörn Hartmann, specialist in regenerative traumatology, and Dr. Alberto Hernández, director of the Unit of Biological, Integrative and Regenerative Medicine (UMBIR) at Juaneda Hospitals, introduce this new procedure that avoids surgery and regenerates tissues to reverse osteoarthritis.
Doctors Jörn Hartmann, specialist in regenerative traumatology, and Dr. Alberto Hernández, director of the Unit of Biological, Integrative and Regenerative Medicine (UMBIR) of Juaneda Hospitals
Dr. Jörn Hartmann, collaborator of the Unit of Biological, Integrative and Regenerative Medicine (UMBIR) at Juaneda Hospitals and specialist in regenerative traumatology, and Dr. Alberto Hernández, director of the UMBIR of Juaneda Hospitals, recently carried out the first intervention with stem cells implanted in the patient's own bone to cause the regeneration of bone tissue in a case of osteoarthritis of the knee.
"Biological and regenerative medicine has opened up endless opportunities for patients with osteoarthritis and other types of osteo-muscular injuries," explains Dr Hartmann and continues: "We apply a treatment with mesenchymal stem cells, obtained from the patient's own bone marrow, to promote tissue regeneration in the focus of interest," in this case a knee severely affected by osteoarthritis, in an elderly woman, who wanted to avoid surgery to fit a knee prosthesis.
The process of injecting stem cells and platelet-rich plasma, aided by radiological imaging, into the patient's bone area to be regenerated.
This procedure "is commonly used in degenerative processes, such as knee, hip, shoulder and ankle arthritis, which are the most frequent cases in this indication", it is also a very useful treatment "in what we call pseudo-arthritis, which are fractures that do not consolidate well and that delay recovery after a fracture", says Dr. Hartmann, adding that "it can also be used in chronic tendon injuries, such as the Achilles tendon of the foot, the patellar tendon of the knee, and the famous rotator cuff of the rotator cuff, which are the most frequent cases in this indication". It can also be used in chronic tendon injuries, such as the Achilles tendon of the foot, the patellar tendon of the knee, and the famous rotator cuff of the shoulder that is so often injured," says Dr Hartmann, adding that "it can also be used in chronic tendon injuries, such as the Achilles tendon of the foot, the patellar tendon of the knee, and the famous rotator cuff of the shoulder that is so often injured.
This innovative treatment for these pathologies "has a functionality contrasted by scientific studies that endorse it, as it produces tissue regeneration [of the affected tissues] to generate cartilage, bone, tendon or muscle with its own stem cells".
A moment of the process of extracting the patient's own bone marrow to obtain mesenchymal stem cells
Dr. Hartmann explains the case of this patient, who came from outside Mallorca to undergo this innovative procedure at Clínica Juaneda. The patient had osteoarthritis in her knee that caused her chronic pain and difficulty walking. The procedure," says Dr. Harmann, "is performed on an outpatient basis, with local anaesthesia and sedation for the patient's comfort.
The process is as follows," he continues, "we obtain what is known as a bone marrow aspirate from the patient's own bone, after a small puncture in a bone. This aspirate is subjected to a process of filtration, concentration and separation of the different components until the so-called mesenchymal stem cells are obtained.
"When we have the mesenchymal stem cells, together with the platelet-rich plasma, we proceed to inject these products into the bone, directly into the damaged area, using what we know in medicine as a trocar, which is like a needle but slightly thicker. In this case, the mesenchymal stem cells were placed in the subchondral bone, just below the cartilage damage.
Moments in the process of bone marrow treatment for the separation of stem cells.
"The product is also injected into the joint". It is an outpatient treatment. The patient who underwent the procedure stayed at Clínica Juaneda for a few hours to control the pain after sedation and was then able to go home the same day," the specialist explains.
Once the operation has been performed, a recovery process begins, which will consist of the patient spending "10 to 15 days on crutches and partial weight bearing, working with the leg. After that, the patient can lead a normal life. The patient will notice the greatest effect after 3 or 4 weeks. After a month, the fluid in the knee disappears and the pain that the patient had before the operation diminishes as the days go by".
The regeneration of bone tissue takes place over several months and increases over time, explains Dr. Hartmann. "It is a long-term process. Normally, a single treatment is sufficient, but it can be repeated if the patient notices new complaints, as has happened in some cases, after several years.
"We are very pleased to be able to offer this treatment to patients with osteoarthritis and chronic pain at Juaneda Hospitals. This procedure with stem cells on a joint, a muscle or a tendon, regenerates the tissues", commented Dr. Alberto Hernández, director of the UMBIR of Juaneda Hospitals: "It is indicated in cases of degenerative osteoarthritis or chronic tendon injuries, in patients who do not want or cannot be operated on, because they are at risk, and who now have this alternative at Juaneda Hospitals".
"In the UMBIR at Juaneda Hospitales - emphasises Dr. Hernández - we are at the forefront to be able to offer this service. Our unit is committed to advanced biological therapies, with less use of drugs to avoid side effects. Regenerating a joint with its own cells is an exceptional offer for patients who can avoid surgery and/or improve severe chronic pain," concludes Dr. Hernández.
