Stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis: alternative to artificial knee joint

Innovative therapy with stem cells as a modern treatment in orthopedics

Around 150,000 new knee joints have been implanted on average in recent years to provide relief and improve mobility for patients with degenerative joint diseases such as osteoarthritis. The modern options of medical technology and prosthetics are considered innovative and advanced. However, their durability is limited, which means that a future replacement operation must be taken into account in treatment planning, especially for younger patients. An artificial knee joint does not always have to be the treatment of choice: Stem cell therapy was conceived in the USA as an innovative therapy to delay knee replacement for osteoarthritis as long as possible.

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The specialists at the Orthopädie Zentrum München Ost will be happy to provide you with a medical consultation. Take advantage of our wealth of experience in the field of orthopedics and feel free to make an appointment with us!

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089 4141 434-64

Table of Contents:

What is stem cell therapy?

Why is a therapy with stem cells useful?
What does stem cell therapy do?
When can stem cell therapy be done?

Stem cell therapy procedure: How does stem cell therapy work?
With stem cell therapy against osteoarthritis: Efficient treatment at the Orthopaedic Center Munich East

Why does advanced osteoarthritis require joint replacement?

What is stem cell therapy?

Stem cell therapy uses the body’s own stem cells to influence metabolism and cell formation. Stem cells, unlike other cell types, are capable of regenerating, dividing, or changing themselves into other cell types. Stem cells can be transplanted autologously or allogeneically. This means that the patient’s own stem cells (autologous) or those of a donor (allogeneic) are used for treatment to replace defective or missing cells. For example, hematopoietic stem cells from the bone marrow are suitable for creating new blood cells (e.g. in the case of leukemia as an allogeneic stem cell transplant). But stem cells can also have a positive influence on the production and regeneration of other body cells.

In the case of osteoarthritis, autologous stem cell transplantation is used. The roughened surface of the cartilage defect is used as an opportunity to obtain stem cells from the patient’s own body tissue, which are then transplanted into the damaged joint. Subsequently, cell formation should be stimulated to promote the preservation of the cartilage still available in the knee.

Why is a therapy with stem cells useful?

Although the operation to insert an artificial knee joint is one of the most common treatments today, with over 150,000 procedures performed each year, it carries many risks. It is a serious surgery that requires a long recovery time, but as an irreversible surgery, it should only be the last option for the patient with osteoarthritis of the knee. Moreover, even with our modern knowledge, prostheses have limited durability. In line with today’s average life expectancy, patients under the age of 60 can expect to have to undergo replacement surgery at an advanced age. The older a patient is, the more risky is not only the classic surgical risk on the knee, but also the need for anesthesia and further medication.

Savvy orthopaedic surgeons place great emphasis on considering age during initial implantation. Although fundamentally all other therapeutic options are considered before the use of a prosthesis, as a rule, conventional methods of conservative treatment cannot help in the long term. Stem cell therapy used early, on the other hand, can make a big difference in osteoarthritis treatment and postpone the early need for knee replacement for several years. For this reason, stem cell therapy is a good treatment for osteoarthritis patients who were diagnosed at a young age or in middle age and want to preventively avoid knee replacement surgery.

What does stem cell therapy do?

By using stem cells in the knee joint, osteoarthritis, and explicitly inflammation, is slowed down by harmonizing the metabolism of the joint. The inflammatory situation, which is dangerous for the joint substance and the joint cartilage, causes damage even to the cells that were previously still intact. If the stem cells are brought into the joint, the metabolism regulates, can more easily weaken emerging irritations and inflammations, and the arthrosis relapse significantly reduces in number and extent.

The less inflammation that occurs in the joint, the longer the remaining cartilage in the joint is preserved. The progression of arthrosis is thus slowed down as a whole, the symptoms with pain and swelling are reduced and the development of new damage is prevented as far as possible. For example, stem cell therapy can slow down osteoarthritis for years and, when used early, can even prevent the need for a knee prosthesis.

When can stem cell therapy be done?

Stem cell therapy can be used in various diseases to influence metabolic processes affecting cell formation. In osteoarthritis, early stem cell therapy can help limit the cartilage defect by stopping the inflammatory processes that damage cartilage. To a small extent, with a good course of treatment, tissue already pre-damaged by past inflammation can be regenerated, although not all tissue can be regenerated. Nevertheless, this can delay the need for a knee prosthesis by positively influencing the situation in the knee joint and promoting tissue preservation.

Thus, stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis is suitable mainly in early to middle stages and only to a limited extent in very advanced osteoarthritis. If the cartilage has already been completely consumed by the chronic inflammation of osteoarthritis, there is also no option for tissue regeneration. Therefore, treatment with stem cell therapy is usually no longer effective at advanced stages. It can then no longer replace surgery for a knee joint prosthesis, even temporarily.

Stem cell therapy procedure for osteoarthritis: How does stem cell therapy work?

In the case of stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis, a treatment plan is established via autologous transplantation. In this procedure, the patient’s own body tissue containing stem cells is removed. For stem cell therapy in osteoarthritis, this is mostly done by harvesting fatty tissue from the abdomen. The removed tissue is specially prepared for the therapy. The resulting cell mixture has many stem cells that can transform into various other types of cells, including cartilage cells, as progenitor cells.

After preparation, the tissue mixture with the high content of stem cells is directly inserted into the knee. The so-called Hoffa’s fat body is targeted as the injection area, as this has a significant influence on the metabolism of the knee joint. This area is therefore also involved in the inflammation of the knee joint that occurs in osteoarthritis. Injection of stem cells into Hoffa’s fat body improves metabolic processes and allows the tissue to regenerate to a limited extent.

After the treatment, which is performed on an outpatient basis and lasts approximately two to three hours, the patient can put completely normal weight on the knee joint in a way that is typical for everyday life. Neither hospitalization nor immobilization is necessary. Only sports activities should be avoided during the first three months. In addition, physiotherapeutic training should take place on a motion splint or an ergometer.

Unfortunately, the costs of stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis are not yet covered by health insurance companies and must therefore be borne by the patient.

With stem cell therapy against osteoarthritis: Efficient treatment at the Orthopaedic Center Munich East

Our experienced orthopedic surgeons at the Orthopädie Zentrum München Ost (OZMO) undergo regular training to provide you with the best and most modern treatment options. As a specialist for orthopedic diseases of the knee, our specialist Prof. Dr. Peter Diehl has also dealt with the innovative stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis and in the meantime has already been able to gain extensive experience with successful treatments. Thus, you will be optimally accompanied by his expertise for your health and the treatment of your osteoarthritis in the knee joint at the Orthopedic Center Munich East.

Do you also have osteoarthritis in the knee joint, do not hesitate to contact us. Schedule your consultation promptly so we can effectively help you with modern diagnostics and treatment options for your knee injuries and conditions. Avoid the need for a joint prosthesis through early treatment, such as stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis. Our practice team looks forward to hearing from you, while our orthopedic specialists will provide you with optimal support every step of the way: From diagnostics to treatment and aftercare, we are at your disposal. Call us or write us a message for an appointment at the Orthopädie Zentrum München Ost (OZMO).

Do you need a personal consultation?

Contact

089 4141 434-64

Why does advanced osteoarthritis require joint replacement?

If the cartilage layer in a joint such as the knee is damaged and / or worn out due to incorrect and excessive strain, age or an accident, this results in unevenness and a rough surface on the normally smooth cartilage surface. The cartilage surface thus becomes brittle and cracked, and tiny particles can become detached. This causes irritation in the joint, which leads to inflammation. The knee appears hot, swollen and painful.

If the inflammations occur more frequently, further damage occurs in the knee joint. As the damage progresses, the pain and inflammation initially occur primarily with exertion, and later also at rest. The doctor refers to this as osteoarthritis. The further osteoarthritis progresses as a wear and tear disease, the more the cartilage is destroyed until there is little or nothing left of the original cartilage layer. The joint can often hardly be moved and loaded even before this.

Since osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that can only be slowed down in its progression, but not cured, the last measure is an artificial knee joint to give the patient back his mobility and freedom from pain in the knee area. Stem cell therapy can help delay the need for a prosthesis to permanently prevent the need for replacement surgery, especially in younger people.

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