Biologic Treatments
An Overview on Biologic Treatment (Regenerative Medicine)
Regenerative medicine, otherwise known as biologic treatment, is changing the sports medicine area of the medical field. These fairly new concepts have the potential to help patients heal faster by repairing damaged tissue and improving joint function at a biologic level. The goal of biologic therapies is to facilitate healing, accelerate recovery, and provide for formation of more normal healing tissue. Dr. Nikhil Verma, sports medicine specialist serving patients in the Chicago, Westchester, Oak Brook and Hinsdale, Illinois area, is heavily involved in medical research to learn about the results of biologic treatments, as well as tracking his patients’ outcomes to learn more on how to refine and develop new therapy programs.
What Does Regenerative Medicine Treat?
Regenerative medicine is utilized in patients in an attempt to assist the natural healing process or even help the damaged tissue grow back, or regenerate. In certain areas of the body where there is a lack of blood flow, the body is unable to heal properly after a tendon injury, ligament injury or from the progression of arthritis. The areas most commonly afflicted with the inability to heal on their own are inside and around the joints. When an individual experiences an injury to the shoulder, knee or elbow and it cannot heal, biologic treatment may be successful adjuvant at alleviating pain, swelling and weakness of the joint.
Dr. Verma and his sports medicine team can treat a variety of orthopedic injuries with regenerative medicine, including:
- Tendon injuries in the shoulder, knee or elbow, including the rotator cuff, patellar tendon, tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow
- Ligament injuries in the shoulder, knee or elbow, including AC sprains, MCL tears and UCL tears
- Arthritis of the shoulder, knee or elbow
Orthopedic Biologic Treatment
Dr. Verma performs platelet rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell therapy, both regenerative medicine techniques, to help a patient’s body heal and regenerate tissue following an injury to the joint. The procedures are out-patient procedures, either in the office or an outpatient surgical facility under local anesthesia and are minimally invasive. PRP utilizes a patient’s own blood and injects the blood back into the injured area after the platelets are isolated and concentrated. The platelets then work to promote tissue healing and regeneration by releasing valuable growth factors which promote the healing process. Stem cell therapy utilizes a high concentration of stem cells into the injured joint to help a patient’s body heal more quickly.
The science around biologic treatment continues to evolve and the indications for use in the sports medicine field are constantly changing. Dr. Verma and his colleagues at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush are actively involved in regenerative medicine research and tracking patient outcomes to learn more about patient results and the long-term effects of using PRP and stem cell therapy.
For more resources on biologic treatment, or to learn how regenerative medicine can help treat your sports injury, please contact the office of Dr. Nikhil Verma, sports medicine specialist serving the Chicago, Westchester, Oak Brook and Hinsdale, Illinois communities.
Biologic Therapies FAQ
- How do Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) stem cells accelerate the healing process?
- Are Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) stem cells and considered regenerative therapies?
- Are all Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) stem cell therapies the same?
- Is there an age limit for Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) regenerative therapy?
- Why is Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC) sometimes called a stem cell “like” therapy?
- Why doesn’t my insurance cover this treatment?
Is Biologic Treatment Right For You?
