What Are Mesenchymal Stem Cells? | What is Bone Marrow Concentrate (BMC) ? | What are Adipose Tissue Derived Stem Cells?
At Texas Orthobiologics, we only provide cellular therapy derived from the patient's own body in order to minimize the risk of allergic reaction or disease transmission. We are able to get your own cells from bone marrow aspiration which is a procedure that can be done in the office with minimal discomfort. The primary source of bone marrow we use is the posterior iliac crest. The bone marrow regenerates and multiple procedures can be done over time. After drawing out the bone marrow, the stem cells are then concentrated to create bone marrow concentrate (BMC) which can then be injected into an appropriate area on the same day. The BMC concentrating process takes approximately 20 minutes in the office.
We do not obtain stem cells from adipose tissue (fat) at this time. We are awaiting further FDA regulatory guidance on using adipose tissue and its derivatives for orthopedic indications.
DOWNLOAD BMC DATA SUMMARY (PDF)
Experimental data has shown that doctors can increase the amount of stem cells obtained in a bone marrow harvest by drawing smaller volumes from multiple sites. Typically we use 1 harvest sites at multiple depths and 10cc or less volume draws in order to maximize the number of stem cells we obtain in our same day procedures. Out technique has been peer reviewed, published, and separately validated
Click the link below for a 2015 article published in Techniques In Regional Anesthesia And Pain Management by Don Buford, MD, Matthew Murphy, PhD, and Jessica Terrazas BS
Why Bone Marrow Aspiration Technique Matters
Video showing our in office minimally invasive posterior iliac crest bone marrow aspiration done under local anesthesia.
Just one bandaid to cover up the harvest site!
What growth factors and cytokines are in Bone Marrow Concentrate (BMC)?
Some of the growth factors in BMC are listed below.
- Platelet Derived Growth Factor (PDGF)
- Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF)
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)
- Interleukin 8 (IL-8)
- Transforming Growth Factor Beta (TGF-b)
- Insulin Like Growth Factor 1, 2 (IGF-1,2)
- Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF)
What are the clinical indications for using Bone Marrow Concentrate (BMC)?
Cellular therapy may be useful in the following clinical conditions
Tendinopathy
(Chronic tendonitis or partial-thickness tears)
- Rotator cuff
- Biceps
- Golfers/Tennis elbow
- Tendonitis around the thigh (Gluteus medius, hamstring, piriformis syndrome)
- Patellar or quadriceps tendonitis
- Tendonitis around the ankle (Peroneal, Tibialis posterior)
- Achilles
- Plantar fasciitis
Ligament Injury
- Ulnar collateral ligament injury of the elbow
- Medial collateral ligament injury of the knee
Degenerative Joint Disease
- Hip osteoarthritis
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Ankle osteoarthritis
- Shoulder osteoarthritis
- Elbow osteoarthritis
- Wrist osteoarthritis
- Cervical, Thoracic and Lumbar osteoarthritis
- Articular Cartilage Injury
Fracture Care
Delayed union or nonunions
What happens after the BMC injection in the office?
Depending on the specific area being treated, crutches or upper body immobilization may not necessary. If immobilization is necessary then typically it can be stopped after 2 days. Most patients will have some soreness for up to 48 hours that should decreases. Patient may use tylenol or other non anti-inflammatory pain medications. NSAIDs and other anti-inflammatories should be avoided in the post-procedure period because they block the response that leads to healing. Patients should refrain from significant physical activity or sports activities for about a week after the procedure. Patients are re-evaluated every 4-8 weeks after the procedure to evaluate their progress and to make further treatment recommendations.
What is the cost for BMC/Stem Cell Therapy?
In the United States, most insurance plans and Medicare/Medicaid do not currently cover BMC/Stem Cell therapy. Patients interested in having BMC therapy are responsible for the full payment for the procedure.
Current pricing for most BMAC injections depends on the number of injection sites. The price includes typical follow up care after the procedure.
We do not want cost to be a factor for patients who wish to have Stem Cell therapy and we have clinical specialists who can help with billing and payment concerns. We use Care Credit for patients who wish to spread their payments over time. There are interest free financing options that can include no payments or minimal payments for 6-18 months.
Please call our specialists first at or for any questions on cost or payment plans.
For more information on Care Credit , please click on the link below:
CareCredit.com Link
To apply for financing options with CareCredit, Please click on the credit application link below
Care Credit Financing Application
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