Stem Cell Therapy and Meniscus Repair in Los Angeles

Many people, recommended to a meniscus arthroscopic surgical procedure, are doing research and are exploring meniscus surgery alternatives. This includes the option of regenerative medicine or stem cell injections.

Stem Cell Therapy is a treatment for musculoskeletal disorders. It can be used to treat degenerative and acute knee injuries including damage to the meniscus. Stem cells are gathered from a patient’s own bone marrow. Stem cells are “de-differentiated pluripotent” cells, which means that they continue to divide to create more stem cells; these eventually “morph” into the tissue needing repair — for our purposes, collagen and cartilage cells.

Can stem cell therapy regenerate meniscus tissue?

For many people, the long rehabilitation, possible need for secondary surgery, and other post-surgical factors weigh heavily in their decision making process as to how to proceed to fix their meniscus tear. For many people, regenerative medicine in the form of stem cell therapy may be something that needs to be further explored.

New research into the healing world of the knee meniscus is fascinating. Despite decades of traditional medical beliefs that because of its poor or even absent network of blood vessels and blood supply, parts of the knee meniscus cannot heal. Researchers are discovering the meniscus is in fact, always trying to heal itself.

HOWEVER, the expectation that stem cell therapy can regrow a meniscus from nothing or regenerate extensive amounts of meniscus tissue removed in meniscectomy must be tempered with a realistic expectation of what these treatments can and cannot do.

Stem cell therapy for meniscus tears can help repair deficits in the existing meniscus.

Stem cell therapy when administered as a multi-injection treatment as opposed to a single one-time shot, can also help support, rebuild, and stabilize the knee capsule and help restore a more normal knee function. A more normal knee function can remove stress from the meniscus and other supportive knee tissue such as ligaments and tendons.

What your realistic expectation of what stem cell therapy can do for your meniscus tear must be discussed with a doctor knowledgeable and experienced in the treatment.