Stem Cell Therapy For Your Injured Tendon: What To Expect
Posted on: 12 December 2019
If you have torn or pulled a tendon and you prefer a non-surgical approach to treatment, then you might be thinking of undergoing stem cell therapy. This treatment involves injecting stem cells, often derived from your own bone marrow, into the injury site. The stem cells transform into tissue-specific cells that heal the injured tendon and restore your function.
Stem cell treatment is becoming more and more common, but as it is still a relatively new procedure, you may still be wondering what to expect as you undergo it. Here's a look at the three major stages of stem cell procedures.
Preparing for Treatment
Your preparation will begin about a week before you have your bone marrow extraction procedure. Your doctor may wean you off certain medications you are taking for other ailments so that they do not interfere with the action of the stem cells, and so that you don't experience extensive bleeding when you have your bone marrow extracted. You should also stop smoking and drinking alcohol at least a week in advance of your procedure.
Having Bone Marrow Removed
This part of the procedure is, for many patients, harder than the process by which the stem cells are actually injected. You will either be anesthetized or strongly sedated for the procedure as it can be quite painful without these steps. Your physician will make a small incision, and they will then insert a specialized tube through the incision and into your bone to extract some of the marrow. This is usually done in your thigh; the marrow is removed from your femur.
Once the bone marrow has been removed, it will be treated in a special device that separates stem cells from the rest of the tissue. These stem cells are combined with various solutions and growth factors.
Having the Stem Cells Injected
Sometimes, the stem cells are injected into the injury site on the same day that they are extracted from your bone marrow. Other times, this procedure may be performed a day or two later. General anesthesia is sometimes used, but in other situations, your surgeon may simply use a local anesthetic, numbing the limb where the cells will be injected.
The injection itself only takes a few minutes, and because you'll either be numb or unconscious, you won't feel a thing. You will have some soreness for a week or two, but it will not be anywhere as serious as the soreness you might experience after tendon surgery. Your pain and discomfort should slowly improve over a period of a month or two as the stem cells do their job.
Contact a provider of stem cell services near you today to learn more.
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