Stem Cell Knee Therapy Cost
Stem Cell Therapy Candidates and Stem Cell Knee Therapy Cost
Knee pain is one of the leading causes of orthopedic visits in the Chicago, Westchester, Oak Brook and Hinsdale, Illinois area. Patients suffering from pain often limit their everyday activities, miss work and no longer engage in sports. When chronic knee pain sets in after an injury or from natural degeneration of the joint, many patients believe surgery is the only option. However, alternate non-surgical options including biologic therapy are becoming more common. A stem cell knee injection is a safe and potentially effective treatment option designed to prolong or eliminate surgery and is offered by Dr. Nikhil Verma, orthopedic surgeon and knee specialist. Potential advantages of stem cell injections include pain and swelling reduction, improved activity level and potential delay of surgery.
How Does a Stem Cell Knee Injection Alleviate Knee Pain?
A stem cell knee injection is gaining popularity as a non-surgical treatment designed to improve or alleviate chronic knee pain caused by a tendon, ligament or cartilage injury, as well as knee osteoarthritis. This form of regenerative medicine uses adult stem cells from a patient’s own body or a donor to decrease inflammation, and potentially accelerate regeneration and healing. Stem cells can be obtained from an aspiration of bone marrow taken from the hip, or donor cells can be used which are harvested from placental tissue and amniotic fluid. No fetal stem cells are used.
A stem cell knee injection is a fairly simple treatment for patients when weighing the option against knee surgery. In the case of allograft (donor) cells, the procedure can be performed in the office with a simple injection. In cases in which a patient’s own cells are used, the procedure is performed in an ambulatory surgical facility. The procedure begins with Dr. Verma extracting a sample of bone marrow from the patient’s hip. The sample is then spun down in a special machine so the autologous (adult) stem cells, platelets and white blood cells become separated from the red blood cells. The combination of the three agents are then combined and injected directly into the injured knee joint to accelerate tissue or bone healing.
Clinical studies to document the efficacy of stem cell injections are currently ongoing. As this is an evolving area of orthopedic science, our knowledge regarding the use of stem cells and patient outcomes continues to improve over time. However, it is important that patients recognize that the treatment is considered experimental and that results cannot be guaranteed.
If you have a question about biologic treatment, Dr. Verma answers frequently asked questions.
Can Stem Cell Therapy Help You?
There are two ways to determine if you are a candidate for this procedure:
- You can provide current X-rays and/or MRIs for a clinical case review ($250).
- You can schedule an office consultation that should be covered by your insurance.
Who is an Ideal Stem Cell Therapy Candidate?
Dr. Verma and his orthopedic team will determine if a patient is an ideal stem cell therapy candidate during an initial examination. A diagnostic workup will be performed to determine the severity of the injury or chronic condition. Common conditions treated by stem cell knee injections include:
- Osteoarthritis
- Cartilage Defects
- Ligament Injuries
There is no age limit for a stem cell therapy candidate, but certain factors should be considered. Patients under the age of 60 years can typically achieve tissue regeneration utilizing their own body’s adult stem cells. After the age of 60 years when the body’s stem cells begin to diminish, patients usually achieve better results by combining a healing accelerator, like platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy and an allograft tissue derived from another source for regeneration.
It is important to note stem cell therapy is still considered experimental / investigational. Ongoing clinical trials for knee and shoulder disorders are open for enrollment at this time with Dr. Verma and other principal investigators. If you would like more information, please contact Dr. Verma and his team for full clinical trial protocols.
If you would like to see the leading research on the outcomes of biologic/regenerative treatments, please visit our research library.
What to Know About Stem Cell Knee Therapy Cost
When patients have exhausted conservative measures to alleviate chronic knee pain, surgery is usually the next step, but surgery is not always a viable option for all patients. In these patients, Dr. Verma may recommend a stem cell knee injection to promote healing and symptom reduction of the injured soft tissue or bone.
Stem cell knee injections with Dr. Verma are $3,000. Since stem cell therapy is still considered experimental, insurance does not cover the procedure. All procedures require cash payment.
Dr. Verma is actively involved in stem cell applications, research and education to help better understand the indications for stem cell therapy and to track outcomes following treatment. Dr. Verma follows a set of strict protocols to ensure a patient is an appropriate candidate in order to minimize any concerns about stem cell knee therapy cost and outcome. These protocols include:
- Patients are appropriately selected based on diagnosis and prior treatment
- Stem cells must be harvested from the correct location in a patient’s body and highly concentrated for maximum benefit
- Stem cells that are toxic or killed off by prolotherapy will never be used
A stem cell knee injection can be effective in many patients if these protocols are followed. Many patients find comfort in stem cell knee therapy cost after discussing the treatment option in great detail with Dr. Verma.
