Stem Cell Research for Meniscus Tears
Stem cell therapy for Meniscus Tears is a great alternative to surgery.
What is a Meniscus Tear?
The Meniscus is both the shock absorber of the knee joint and the spacer that protects the cartilage which covers the top of the femur and the tibia bone. It does this by distributing the force equally across the joint. The meniscus is made of living fibro-cartilage tissue. Each knee has two menisci, a medial meniscus which is closer to the inside of the body, and a lateral meniscus which is closer to the outside of the body. The medial meniscus is more easily injured than the lateral one for biomechanical reasons.
A tear of a meniscus is damage to these menisci. This injury may be the result of normal everyday actions like walking or even intense physical activity.
Why Not Fix the Meniscus Surgically?
More than 90% of the time meniscus surgery does not “repair” the meniscus, but rather removes the torn pieces. Given its shock absorbing function, less shock absorber means more impact gets delivered to the cartilage and bone. With time, this living tissue reacts and cartilage is lost and the knee begins to form new bone spurs. Studies have estimated increased force versus the amount of meniscus removed and its profound negative consequences to the long term function and stability of the knee. Moreover, scientific papers have confirmed that removing parts of the meniscus can result in knee arthritis. Most crucial for patients is the recent research, showing that meniscus surgery, on average, is no more effective than physical therapy in its positive effects. Fortunately, physical therapy has no negative impact. Millions of patients receive meniscectomies every year.
Why Stem Cell Therapy May Be Your Best Option
Knee meniscus tears are among the most common knee injuries treated with stem cell therapy. This treatment of meniscus tears offers patients a minimally invasive same-day injection procedure that may help heal the injured tissue and allow the individual to avoid the painful and lengthy recovery that typically follows surgery, as well as the long term impact to the knee as a result of removing sections of meniscus. Clinics can use your own stem cells and platelets to help heal this tissue, rather than remove it.
We invite you to see further details about this treatment from clinics that have already treated many patients and continue to show positive results.
You will find on our website clinics that use this treatment and can better answer your questions regarding this procedure and how it impacts your health.